http://www.acceleratinggreen.com Exploring transportation, energy, and the environment. posterous.com Fri, 24 Feb 2012 07:29:28 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/VQ2oEwoIjx0/2012-chevy-volt-gets-ca-green-carpool-sticker http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/2012-chevy-volt-gets-ca-green-carpool-sticker <p> <p>When the Volt rolled off the line in 2011, it was hailed as the future of green transportation. That is, hailed by everybody but the California Air Resources Board, which denied the Volt a coveted "green car" carpool sticker.</p> <p>The green sticker program gives alternative fuel vehicles access to the carpool system, even if just one occupant is present. This is a huge benefit in Southern California especially, where both carpool lanes and congestion operate all day long. For those who commute long distances, the green sticker program can literally save them 5+ hours a week of sitting in traffic.</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-02-24/kgaBiicBFngFuBpaJewGJzDBcyaCAbpdqGmmkhJkEcgiAEiwAIpIwFpfqCtF/ChevyVoltHOV2.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Chevyvolthov2" height="311" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-02-24/kgaBiicBFngFuBpaJewGJzDBcyaCAbpdqGmmkhJkEcgiAEiwAIpIwFpfqCtF/ChevyVoltHOV2.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm">ARB's program</a> traditionally awards EVs and CNG vehicles, although as recently as 2010 conventional hybrids like Prius were valid as well. So what was wrong with the Volt? When the battery was depeted and the vehicle was operating in gasoline mode, its emission profile was not much different than other gasoline vehicles, and the emissions crossed thresholds that the ARB set.&nbsp;</p> <p>To combat this, Chevy is releasing a special California version of the 2012 Volt, with stringent pollution controls. Via <a href="http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/11/volt-20111117.html">GreenCarCongress</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; font-size: small;">Chevrolet engineers modified the Volt&rsquo;s engine and exhaust components&mdash;specifically the catalytic converter&mdash;by adding a secondary air-injection pump that streams ambient air into the exhaust stream to increase its ability to remove pollutants. The additional oxygen helps the catalytic converter remove even more pollutants.</span></p> </blockquote> <p>The controls mean that the Volt qualifies for the green sticker program. While the Volt program is only available for the first 40,000 vehicles that register, this shouldn't be too much of a constraint - GM is projecting 45,000 Volt sales nationwide this year. Even better, the 2012 model qualifies for the $1,500 California rebate through ARB's <a href="http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr022208.htm">Fueling Alternative Rebate Program</a>, on top of the $7,500 federal credit.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/2012-chevy-volt-gets-ca-green-carpool-sticker">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/2012-chevy-volt-gets-ca-green-carpool-sticker#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/VQ2oEwoIjx0" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/2012-chevy-volt-gets-ca-green-carpool-sticker Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:02:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/iJnpSivD4rA/evs-dirtier-than-gasoline-contrary-to-popular http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/evs-dirtier-than-gasoline-contrary-to-popular <p> <p><a href="http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/14/why-electric-cars-are-more-polluting-than-gas-guzzlers-at-least-in-china">Time Magazine</a> and many others have written breathless articles based on <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es202347q">research</a> Chris Cherry is doing at UT Knoxville. The thrust of Chris' message is that the environmental benefits of EVs depend on how and where the&nbsp;electricity is generated. But this has been interpreted in the popular media as:</p> <blockquote> <p>It&rsquo;s unspoken, but every driver gliding around town behind the wheel of a Prius is thinking the same thing: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m saving the planet. What are you doing, you dirty-fossil-fuel burner?&rdquo;</p> <p>But, according to a new study published in the journal <em>Environmental Science &amp; Technology</em>, it turns out that the use of electric vehicles may not be that clean after all, particularly in the world&rsquo;s most populated country, China.</p> <p>In the study, Christopher Cherry, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at University of Tennessee, and his colleagues found that in terms of air pollution, electric vehicles were more harmful to public health per kilometer traveled than gasoline-powered cars. <strong><em>That&rsquo;s right &mdash; the electrically powered cars turned out to be dirtier than those with internal combustion engines.</em></strong></p> </blockquote> <p>Of course, the results aren't this sensationalist. In China, where coal plants belch uncontrolled emissions near population centers, the electricity generation has an especially large impact on residents. However, in the US and other countries, the situation is the opposite.</p> <p>First, the fuel mix in US is markedly different than China. Coal, while still popular, is dwarfed by other fuel sources, including natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. Further, coal plants have stringent emission standards to capture harmful pollutants before they exit the smokestack. Lastly, in California at least, coal plants are located far away from population centers, largely in the Nevada desert. So the impact of EVs (and electricity generation) is much lower.</p> <p>Further, while electricity plant pollutions can be emitted far away from population centers, vehicle tailpipe emissions by definition occur where people live and drive. Because of this, all vehicle pollutants, especially cancer-causing diesel particulate matter, have a direct impact on human health.</p> <p>Chris' work, which is much more nuanced than the articles suggest, recognizes and addresses all these factors in his analysis. Hopefully, while this news story makes for a good headline, cooler heads will prevail once the news cycle moves on to another topic.<p /></p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/evs-dirtier-than-gasoline-contrary-to-popular">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/evs-dirtier-than-gasoline-contrary-to-popular#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/iJnpSivD4rA" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/evs-dirtier-than-gasoline-contrary-to-popular Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:55:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/yQsE34-wcyY/accelerating-green-blog-bmw-climate-control-s http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/accelerating-green-blog-bmw-climate-control-s <p> <blockquote class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <div> <p>Besides automatic air circulation control, which is activated, for example, in increased concentrations of fine particulate and exhaust gases in tunnels or behind heavy-duty trucks, the standard air conditioning unit featured in the new BMW 3 Series employs an additional filter system that also becomes effective when switched to the air circulation mode.</p> <p>As a result, says BMW, unpleasant environmental odors are almost entirely eliminated. The interaction between the automatic air circulation control and the filter system noticeably enhances air quality inside the BMW 3 Series. Even when the air conditioning is not in use, the additional filter remains active.</p> </div> </blockquote> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/greencarcongress/TrBK/~3/l1SCjkeTQUI/3-20120220.html">feedproxy.google.com</a>\</div> <div class="posterous_quote_citation"><a href="http://www.greencarcongress.com/2012/02/3-20120220.html">Green Car Congress</a> gives details on BMW's new climate control system, with automated active filters for both external air flow and internal recirculated air. By detecting pollution on the roadway (for example, from that semi in front of you), and automatically switching to internal circulated air, the BMW cuts down on a driver's exposure to vehicle emissions. This is key for a couple reasons:</div> <ul> <li> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">When examining the level of vehicle pollution, scientists typically measure the air quality at the nearest residential receptor near the roadway. The exposure of commuters on the roadway are overlooked, and are likely much higher than that of nearby residents.</div> </li> <li> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">Recent studies have shown that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrafine_particle">ultrafine particles</a> are most concentrated <a href="http://www.epa.gov/ncer/reports/r827352C006fr.pdf">at the roadway</a>, and quickly drop off within 100m. The brunt of ultrafines are felt by commuters! There's conflicting information on the <a href="http://www.aqmd.gov/tao/ultrafine_presentations/Pre-Conference_2_Froines.pdf">dangers of ultrafines</a>, but it can't hurt to shield motorists from exposure.</div> </li> <li> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">Americans spend on average more than <a href="http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/censusandstatistics/a/commutetimes.htm">almost an hour</a> in their car commuting each day, which can add up to a lot of exposure.</div> </li> </ul> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">Hopefully the filter technology in BMWs will trickle down to other makes and models.</div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/accelerating-green-blog-bmw-climate-control-s">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/accelerating-green-blog-bmw-climate-control-s#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/yQsE34-wcyY" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/accelerating-green-blog-bmw-climate-control-s Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:30:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/p-4zj74Tu6Q/fossil-fuels-were-not-dead-yet http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/fossil-fuels-were-not-dead-yet <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/gFBaygGAFayDGpuFbcAjEIvalqdmeAhEseyoxBomnsJzvHocecbxGshDgnbH/media_httpgigaom2file_IuBcD.png.scaled1000.png"><img alt="Media_httpgigaom2file_iubcd" height="280" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/gFBaygGAFayDGpuFbcAjEIvalqdmeAhEseyoxBomnsJzvHocecbxGshDgnbH/media_httpgigaom2file_IuBcD.png.scaled500.png" width="500" /></a> </div> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/earth2tech/~3/mnLPVZC6TMA/">feedproxy.google.com</a></div> <p>This entire post on earth2tech merits reading, because it clearly lays out all our options for non-renewable oil substitutes. I'm pulling out one section - a chart on reserves of different oil sources, and the relative costs of extraction and production. Good news is, we have plenty of oil - at our current consumption rate of 30 billion bbl annually, the reserves should last a couple centuries. (this includes gas to liquid and coal to liquid, which offer much more potential than straight crude). </p><p>Bad news is that the costs of extracting and producing oil will continue to skyrocket. From a market perspective, this is effectively the same as running out of oil - the price increases to the point where it's unaffordable except in specific cases. A silver lining is the possibilities for renewable fuels - as conventional gas prices increase, renewables become much more affordable. This is the kicker - as much we hope that green (as in GHG) thinking will drive people to alt fuels, ultimately it is green (as in $$$) that will provide the mass market adoption.</p></div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/fossil-fuels-were-not-dead-yet">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/fossil-fuels-were-not-dead-yet#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/p-4zj74Tu6Q" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/fossil-fuels-were-not-dead-yet Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:08:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/v5VnKvifOoE/norfolksouthern-becomes-first-fleet-user-of-r http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/norfolksouthern-becomes-first-fleet-user-of-r <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <blockquote> <div> <h3>Dynamic Fuels and Mansfield to supply Norfolk Southern with renewable diesel; first fleet user of renewable diesel in US</h3> <h3>15 February 2012</h3> <p>Dynamic Fuels, LLC and Mansfield Oil Company have <a href="http://www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp/Media/News%20Releases/2012/ns_dynamic_fuels.html">signed</a> an agreement to supply renewable diesel to Norfolk Southern Corporation, one of the US&rsquo; largest transporters of coal and industrial products. Norfolk Southern has primarily been using a 100% pure Dynamic Fuels renewable diesel at its Meridian, Mississippi rail yard since early January.</p> --&gt; <p>Dynamic Fuels, a 50/50 venture owned by Tyson Foods, Inc. and Syntroleum Corporation, recently signed commercial off-take and strategic alliance agreements with Mansfield to market renewable diesel to fleet customers. (<a href="http://www.greencarcongress.com/2012/02/dynamic-20120201.html">Earlier post</a>.) Dynamic Fuels produces next-generation renewable and synthetic fuels from animal fats and greases. The company&rsquo;s Geismar, La., plant produces renewable diesel as &ldquo;drop-in&rdquo; fuel that can replace 100% of petroleum diesel in a diesel engine without engine modification. (<a href="http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/06/tyson-and-syntr.html">Earlier post</a>.)</p> <blockquote> <p><em>Norfolk Southern is pleased to be the first fleet user of renewable diesel in the United States. Our locomotive engines are completely compatible with the pure renewable diesel provided by Dynamic Fuels and Mansfield. Together, they have provided seamless integration of renewable diesel supply into our Meridian, Miss., yard. Norfolk Southern has been at the forefront of the railroad industry in evaluating synthetic and renewable diesel fuels for many years. </em></p> </blockquote> <p>The renewable diesel is a sustainable, ultra-clean burning, high-cetane fuel that reduces carbon emissions and significantly reduces particulates and NO_x when combusted in existing diesel engines.</p> </div> </blockquote> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/greencarcongress/TrBK/~3/ZKemrczAS6s/ns-20120215.html">feedproxy.google.com</a></div> <p>Class I railroad Norfolk Southern announces it's purchasing "renewable diesel" from Dynamic Fuels, likely a biodiesel-based Fischer-Tropsch process. From <a href="http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/06/tyson-and-syntr.html">Green Car Congress</a>: "Biofining is essentially a biomass-optimized third-stage of Syntroleum&rsquo;s full Fischer-Tropsch-based synthetic fuels process, the three basic elements of which are (1) gasification, (2) the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, and (3) the upgrading of the F-T wax. Biofining in essence treats fats, greases and vegetables oils as a Fischer-Tropsch wax, and upgrades them to renewable diesel (R-2) and renewable jet fuel (R-8)."</p> <p>Hopefully NS will open up a bit about what type of renewable diesel they're using, and at what blend.</p> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/norfolksouthern-becomes-first-fleet-user-of-r">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/norfolksouthern-becomes-first-fleet-user-of-r#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/v5VnKvifOoE" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/norfolksouthern-becomes-first-fleet-user-of-r Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/4jWlmZ50B6o/steam-powered-car-aims-for-world-speed-record http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/steam-powered-car-aims-for-world-speed-record <p> <p>The <a href="http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/steam-powered-racer-to-make-run-at-land-speed-record/">New York Times</a> reports that a US team is gunning for the world land speed record for steam-powered cars. They're aiming to top the current record of 148 MPH set in 2009. <p />The <a href="http://landspeedrecord.intuitwebsites.com/index.html">US Land Steam Record Team</a> (USLSR), led by Chuk Williams, is building its Streamliner vehicle around a stock external combustion engine, lightweight body (under 1,600 tons), and streamlined profile (sub 0.2 drag coefficient). <br /><br />Steam engines are not new tech. The first known variant, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolipile">Aeolipile</a>, described by the Greek mathematician Hero of Alexandria, converted steam to mechanical work through a pinwheel-style device. The first modern steam engine was developed by James Watt in the eighteenth century, and largely powered the industrial revolution. <p />Of course, steam engines are not powered by steam, but by the fuel used to boil water or superheat steam. Steam locomotives were famously coal-fired, producing their signature black plume out of the smoke stack. Modern large-scale steam turbine engines are found in ocean-going vessels, with auxiliary steam engines on container ships powered by diesel or bunker oil, and large military vessels (submarines and aircraft carriers) powered by nuclear fuel. <p />While these large marine applications are well-established, automotive steam vehicles are much more speculative. The 1970s oil crisis spurred interest in the technology, with steam cars developed by SAAB and other manufacturers. The technology remains firmly in the enthusiast realm, with several international teams topping each other for new speed records. Could steam power infiltrate into the automotive market? The companies working on steam engines and boilers would emphatically say yes.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/steam-powered-car-aims-for-world-speed-record">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/steam-powered-car-aims-for-world-speed-record#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/4jWlmZ50B6o" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/steam-powered-car-aims-for-world-speed-record Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:00:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/_x6OYlFz_Xo/31842803 http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/31842803 <p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Carbon footprints are a hot topic right now &ndash; especially the carbon footprint of the goods we buy, from <a href="http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43628">fruit</a> at the supermarket to our <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2010/oct/14/carbon-footprint-house">homes</a> and <a href="http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/39408">cars</a>. To measure a product&rsquo;s carbon footprint, you need to consider its entire lifecycle &ndash; from the extraction of raw materials, to manufacturing, shipping, end-use, and disposal. The footprint of an iPhone, for example, not only depends on where<span style="">&nbsp; </span>the components come from and how it is shipped from China, but also on how much electricity you use to charge it and how you recycle it or throw it away. A single iPhone has <a href="http://images.apple.com/environment/reports/docs/iPhone_3GS-Environmental-Report.pdf">120 pounds of CO2</a> baked into it, with nearly half coming from the electricity used over its lifetime.</p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Footprint_banner" height="187" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-10-28/tyCsDcfrbJAwviuzxlHtqzqhykdcJeoECjewCDaGcewpgbnmazjEIBbiDBGu/footprint_banner.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="479" /> </div> </p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For the transportation industry, the focus is on the supply chain &ndash; what&rsquo;s the greenest way to ship from the manufacturer to the retailer, and what tradeoffs do you need to make? Environmental concerns are just one dimension of goods movement. Shippers and carriers are equally or more concerned about cost, reliability, shipping times, capacity, and flexibility. Incorporating green considerations into this is challenging at best. Last week I gave a presentation on sustainable supply chains to <a href="http://westac.com">WESTAC</a>, an association for the transportation industry in western Canada. While the transportation industry, like many industries, is exploring the sustainability aspects of their operations, companies are still searching for the right business case for sustainable shipping.</p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Of course, a product&rsquo;s carbon footprint is important only if people will pay for greener products.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>This begins with product labeling &ndash; give the customer information about a product&rsquo;s carbon footprint, so he or she can make an informed decision about costs and environment. We&rsquo;re seeing this in stores like the UK&rsquo;s Tesco supermarket chain, which is wrapping up a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7371033.stm">trial program</a> involving labels on products ranging from light bulbs to potatoes. Japan&rsquo;s Trade Ministry is <a href="http://nudges.org/tag/japan/">launching</a>&nbsp;a similar voluntary program, tapping into national brands like Sapporo Breweries.</p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">These trial programs will give us the first indications of the demand for low-carbon goods&mdash;how many greenbacks consumers are willing to spend for greener products.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/31842803">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/31842803#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/_x6OYlFz_Xo" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/31842803 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:00:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/XOKmtk9rlV8/vehicle-energy-harvesting-the-new-energy-effi http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/vehicle-energy-harvesting-the-new-energy-effi <p> <p>In an article on new technology, the New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/business/06novel.html?th" title="highlights" target="_blank">highlights</a>&nbsp;a new way to save fuel in our cars and trucks: install unique shock absorbers that produce a spike in electricity over every pothole. This electricity would feed into an onboard battery pack, allowing a hybrid system to power the car further and save gas. A cool idea - turn potholes into fuel!</p> <p>This type of technology is called energy harvesting, because it recaptures energy that would otherwise have been wasted and puts it to good use. It is different from other fuel efficiency technologies: while strategies like hybrid powertrains, lightweighting, and low-friction tires seek to increase vehicle efficiencies and reduce the amount of fuel used to move the vehicle, energy harvesting captures energy already consumed wasted. This approach may allow engineers to dramatically boost fuel efficiency. <div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Image001" height="234" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/DDb61ltrY2bGRyZlcIgQv8CJNRji4C6JeDBRLYLYmWpzZgstlwMizPIZJVN3/image001.jpg" width="440" /> </div> There are many opportunities to capture energy that would otherwise be lost. The most well-known, and perhaps the most effective, is regenerative braking, which captures energy that would otherwise be dissipated by the brake pads. Already well deployed in hybrid electric cars like the Prius, regenerative braking is finding its way into larger systems such as mass transit. The locomotive company ABB Technologies has introduced a <a href="http://www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot232.nsf/veritydisplay/a698c8f0183ba%20fa7c12575eb003fc042/%24File/ABB_Traction-Converters_LRV_V3f_WEB.pdf)" target="_blank">supercapacitor pack</a> for metro trains that captures the electricity that would otherwise be burned off from dynamic braking.</p> <p>A more promising, yet still experimental, field is waste heat capture, which absorbs heat from engine exhaust and converts it into electricity. While not yet on the market, research ion this technology is heavily funded both by venture capital and government energy grants. In 2009, the Department of Energy research ARPA-E program has funded <a href="http://nextbigfuture.com/2009/11/arpa-e-waste-heat-projects.html" target="_blank">$7.3 million in waste heat capture projects</a> from General Motors, University of Illinois, and others. Separately, the startup company Temptronics received $2.7 million in first round funding to develop heat capture technology that could double HEV fuel economy.</p> <p>However, energy harvesting is not necessarily a green technology. Instead of improving fuel economy, the converted energy can be used to boost performance instead, directed back to the engine to maximize peak vehicle power. The best example of this is the turbocharger, a small turbine that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocharger" target="_blank">spins like a pinwheel</a> when engine exhaust is pumped through. The energy pulled from the exhaust stream is used to pump more air and fuel into the pistons, squeezing more horsepower out of the engine. This approach is line with the majority of fuel efficiency advances in the past twenty years, which instead of improving fuel economy, were used to <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/?sort=&amp;search=fuel+economy" target="_blank">double the power</a> of the average car while holding MPGs constant.</p> <p>We'll see in the next few years if this burgeoning sector produces a viable product. Niche products like the regenerative shock absorbers are working their way to market, while technology like waste heat capture is still in the lab. Meanwhile, the march towards a more efficient automobile continues.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/vehicle-energy-harvesting-the-new-energy-effi">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/vehicle-energy-harvesting-the-new-energy-effi#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/XOKmtk9rlV8" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/vehicle-energy-harvesting-the-new-energy-effi Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/x1rXaXWw0L4/goodbye-cap-and-trade-hello-cap-and-crunch-0 http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/goodbye-cap-and-trade-hello-cap-and-crunch-0 <p> <p>The New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/science/earth/26climate.html">reports</a> on the rise and fall of cap and trade as a way to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. While many climate and energy groups promote cap and trade as the best way to shrink our carbon footprint, right wing activists have seized the issue and made political hay, dubbing it <a href="http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZDFjYzFlNDQxMzQ0OGI2ZDhkNjA2ZWJkZmM0OGMxMmY=">Cap and Tax</a>. However, while Cap and Trade is struggling to make it through Congress, there&rsquo;s a new paradigm on the horizon: Cap and Crunch.<div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/ATPXfkl02BQNhiV01UDsxnJ51xVQeNJmCCUcSXhbISHpxkz8BhnBQWAJQ1ze/image001.png"><img alt="Image001" height="264" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/z170Sb7A9C2E9FiL8BAm3SAeOBb0T41roXkFX8sdlmHPbzbAlBeh6jPBF8xK/image001.png.scaled.500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> We don&rsquo;t need to tout the benefits of cap and trade. The plan is appealingly market-driven, pushing the dirtiest industries to innovate while sparing high upgrade costs for cleaner companies.&nbsp; This allows us to reach our climate goals in the cheapest way possible, and gives each company the flexibility to choose how it wants to comply. However, cap and trade runs afoul of political reality: it would have the greatest impact on the coal industry, a major political force in many mid-Atlantic states. &nbsp;As such, we can only hope for a weak implementation of the program, one that is acceptable to <a href="http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/burns-on-business/2010/05/coal-makes-an-unlikely-comeback.html">Big Coal</a> but will not help us reach our 2050 climate goals.</p> <p>Fortunately, there's a solution available that may be more effective and easier to implement. I'm dubbing it Cap and Crunch. It combines a weaker (more permissive) cap and trade scheme, to bring about improvements across the country, with an environmental enforcement scheme a la the Clean Air Act. Cap and Crunch will reduce emissions faster, spur innovations faster, and prevent industries from passing the buck on innovation and change. It is friendlier to the nationwide economy, too: since the cap and trade portion doesn't carry the entire burden of reducing emissions, its restrictions can be weaker and less politically radioactive than as currently planned.</p> <p>Cap and Crunch relies on the Environmental Protection Agency&rsquo;s new powers to regulate carbon dioxide as a harmful pollutant. This hinges on the agency&rsquo;s 2009 <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5A84FN20091109">Endangerment Finding</a> officially declaring CO2 a &ldquo;danger to human health and welfare,&rdquo; just like lead, mercury, and ozone. This gives EPA the power to unilaterally impose restrictions on greenhouse gases, even if Congress fails to act on climate change legislation. Effectively EPA can regulate carbon emissions in concert with any carbon cap and trade plan created by congress.</p> <p>This results in a big win for everybody. Congress can pass a weaker Cap and Trade bill, satisfying Big Coal and the mid-Atlantic blue dogs while meeting the goals of environmental coalitions. EPA can fill in the gaps in climate change regulation, instituting regulations where Cap and Trade is ineffective. In the end, the nation&rsquo;s climate goals will be met much faster than if either program acted alone. Cap and Crunch has the power to effect change in ways that Cap and Trade cannot.</p> <p>However, we need to be careful about this plan. As an executive agency, EPA acts at the behest of the White House. Its goals and actions will change with each new administration. While we may begin a great program, this could change if an environmentally-hostile politician is sworn in. But let&rsquo;s worry about that later. For now, bring on the Cap and Crunch!</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/goodbye-cap-and-trade-hello-cap-and-crunch-0">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/goodbye-cap-and-trade-hello-cap-and-crunch-0#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/x1rXaXWw0L4" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/goodbye-cap-and-trade-hello-cap-and-crunch-0 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:00:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/oOlaySKLORM/freight-goes-green-with-pneumatic-hybrid-truc http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/freight-goes-green-with-pneumatic-hybrid-truc <p> <p>For those trying to clean up transportation and reduce pollution, the freight industry has been a tough nut to crack. While programs such as EPA's Smartway have succeeded in introducing efficient tires, fairings, and other parts into truck design, the market for alternative fuel trucks has not exploded like the market for hybrid passenger cars. Partly this is due to priorities of the trucking industry -- trucks are considered revenue-generating equipment, to do the job reliably and cheaply. Fuel costs (and savings from new technology) <a href="http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: line-through;">are</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">were</span> are</a> only a small part of this equation. Carriers also consider reliability, maintenance, and driver training. And in an industry currently facing tough times, it's no surprise that companies would be conservative and rely on proven existing designs rather than take a chance with unproven technology.</p> <p>This reticence is changing, however, as alternative-fuel trucks are reaching a threshold where they are road-tested and shown to be a mature technology. Last week, as reported in <a href="http://www.ttnews.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Transport Topics</a>, powertrain manufacturer Eaton announced a new milestone: trucks with their&nbsp;hydraulic hybrid powertrains have collectively logged 30 million miles worldwide since the technology was introduced ten years ago. With 2,400 trucks on the road today, primarily in medium-heavy-duty delivery trucks and panel vans, the company's <a href="http://hydraulics.eaton.com/video/archive/HLA-JUNE2009/index.html">hybrid technology</a> has been proven to be reliable. Most importantly, now that some companies have driven hybrid trucks for a decade, they have been able to quantify the vehicles' fuel savings, reliability, and maintenance costs -- taking much of the uncertainty out of purchasing these vehicles.</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_video_embed'> <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/freight-goes-green-with-pneumatic-hybrid-truc"><img alt="" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-05-25/FEcmDmyCwoGrecCJodDksgvsvyccCklFqAdIkfIdbhnskgkeExtqnmklGbkb/Eaton_video.png" /></a> <div class='p_embed_description'> <strong>Eaton_video.m4v</strong> <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/freight-goes-green-with-pneumatic-hybrid-truc">Watch on Posterous</a> </div> </div> </p> <p>Unlike electric hybrids that supplement a gasoline or diesel engine with an electric motor powered by an on-board battery pack, hydraulic hybrids use pressurized liquid to store energy from braking, and release the power to assist in acceleration (another propulsion technology, compressed air, has been <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-viability-of-compressed-air-vehicles">discussed</a> on this blog before). This assist reduces engine load, saving fuel and allowing the engine to operate more efficiently. With a higher power density than a battery pack, hydraulic systems are better suited for capturing the large amount of energy released when slowing or stopping a heavy truck. Of course, this technology has the greatest impact in trucks that stop and start frequently, making the powertrains more applicable to delivery vans rather than long-haul class 8 trucks.</p> <p>Hydraulic hybrids may be well suited for other uses, as well. Industry and government agencies are testing the technology in other market niches such as the tractors (essentially drayage trucks designed for off-highway use) used to move container cargo around a port. This application would reduce tailpipe pollution much more than in delivery vans: because port tractors are designed for off-road rather than highway use, they're exempt from pollution standards for on-road trucks. As a result they are much dirtier and less efficient. Further, because ports are considered hot-spots for pollution and air quality concerns, they have great interest in new cleaner technology. Finally, since port pollution disproportionably impacts low-income and disadvantaged communities located nearby, state and federal agencies such as CARB and EPA take great interest in environmental justice concerns.</p> <p>EPA, a <a href="http://www.epa.gov/oms/technology/420f04024.pdf">big fan</a> of the technology, is currently testing pilot projects using hydraulic hybrid tractors at the ports of New York/New Jersey and the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach. Once the results are released, we should have a better understanding of the costs, benefits, and market opportunities for this application.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/freight-goes-green-with-pneumatic-hybrid-truc">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/freight-goes-green-with-pneumatic-hybrid-truc#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/oOlaySKLORM" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/freight-goes-green-with-pneumatic-hybrid-truc Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/okXcfMSdMU0/perpetual-motion-delorean-falls-short-of-expe http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/perpetual-motion-delorean-falls-short-of-expe <p> <p>Green tech is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj3b0q9c4KY">so hot right now</a>, with VCs and government programs investing heavily in battery technology and electric vehicles. But it's important to remember that the alternative vehicle sector is not brand new, but rather has been around in one form or another for some time. Relying on a combination of proven technologies and cutting-edge innovations, entrepreneurs have always pushed the boundaries of new vehicle tech.</p> <p>Case in point is Carl Tilly, who in 2001 began raising funding to capitalize his new project: a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_DMC-12">DMC Delorean</a>, converted to electric power. While electric vehicles at the time had proven problematic at best, as evidenced by the <a href="http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/">controversy</a> surrounding GM's release and recall of its EV1, Tilley's Delorean was equipped with a crucial proprietary technology that made the vehicle viable: a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_perpetual_motion_machine">perpetual-motion device</a> that recharged the batteries using power from the motor. Based on this invention, Tilley raised nearly four million dollars in start-up funding.</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Delorean" height="272" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-05-25/vqnlrjGaesomnACgdlwymjxtvwtIptbmzkGvrjJflvxwyjhClGvjFzbfixyE/delorean.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="408" /> </div> </p> <p></p> <p>Unfortunately, as is the case with many new-technology ventures, the Tilley Electric Vehicle never reached maturity. At a <a href="http://www.zpenergy.com/modules.php?name=News&amp;file=article&amp;sid=194">test run</a> in Nashville Super Speedway, designed to demonstrate the Delorean's ability to travel hundreds of miles at speeds in excess of 100 MPH, a mechanical problem (unrelated to the electric recharging system) failed after a few laps. Frustratingly for Tilley, since the car's distance up to that point could have been accomplished on batteries alone, the interrupted test did not validate the company's technology.</p> <p>This failure signaled the decline of Tilley's enterprise. Stockholders demanded results. While their claims were temporarily held at bay by Tilley's 2004 announcement that GM had made an unsolicited two-billion-dollar <a href="http://pesn.com/2005/09/16/9600168_GM_has_no_arrangement_with_Tilley/">buyout offer</a> (which apparently fell through) the company sank under the pressures. Later attempts to <a href="http://pesn.com/2006/09/30/9500241_Tilley_test/">expand the market</a> for perpetual-motion devices into the distributed home power sector also failed. On January 19, 2010, Tilley's investors <a href="http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-8199-Breakthrough-Energy-Examiner~y2010m1d29-Investors-win-26M-award-against-Tilleys">won a lawsuit</a> against the former company, and were awarded $3.57 in compensatory and $22 million in punitive damages.</p> <p>One has to&nbsp;wonder whether Tilley would have seen more success if he had tuned his invention to provide peak power bursts rather than sustained energy output. However, it's doubtful that even at 88 MPH his equipment could have provided the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5cYgRnfFDA">1.21 gigawatts</a> needed to take his Delorean to the next level.</p> <p>Fortunately, we can rely on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_car" target="_blank">air cars</a> to usher in the future of transportation. Or, <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-viability-of-compressed-air-vehicles" target="_blank">maybe not</a>.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/perpetual-motion-delorean-falls-short-of-expe">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/perpetual-motion-delorean-falls-short-of-expe#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/okXcfMSdMU0" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/perpetual-motion-delorean-falls-short-of-expe Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:00:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/mo4KE_dlSC4/aircraft-taxibot-the-future-is-now http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/aircraft-taxibot-the-future-is-now <p> <p>A <a href="http://www.sae.org/mags/SOHE/7236">fun article</a> from the Society of Automotive Engineers discusses new ground support equipment at airports, designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions assiciated with aircraft taxiing between the terminals and the runways. This new GSE would act as a tractor on the tarmac, similar to equipment currently used to push aircraft away from terminal gates. Currently, aircraft burn significant amounts of fuel taxiing using their main propulsion engines, but under this strategy would only need to operate their auxiliaries.</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/oBEHVI62JQE7lnh7PXzV6NFGdgtJckHPeUkpI1HMToNZFXHwxkpGAaM0YbQW/ole0.bmp"><img alt="Ole0" height="236" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/u9OXjN7EAd8Iv4i06Xv9ld1FMQmBcAurJR7cC32pvchh0YGuBhdriFZGApmB/ole0.bmp.scaled.500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p> <p></p> <p>The fun part is that this new tractor would be an unmanned robot, and controlled directly by the pilot. Once the plane disengages, it would return autonomously to the gate. Thus, planes could taxi on their own, but just use their auxiliary rather than their propulsion engines. The <a href="http://www.ricardo.com/en-gb/Engineering-Consulting/Automotive-Expertise/Vehicle-Systems/latest-project/">TaxiBot</a> technology is being developed by <a href="http://www.ricardo.com/">Ricardo</a> and <a href="http://www.iai.co.il/Templates/Homepage/Homepage.aspx?lang=EN">Israel Aerospace Industries</a> (ISI).</p> <p>Fuel savings could be significant. IAI and Airbus estimate that airlines will consume $7billion worth of fuel in taxi operations in 2012, emitting 18 million tons of CO₂. If robotic taxi machines could reduce even a small portion, the savings would be great (but still a small portion of worldwide aviation emissions, estimated at <a href="http://internationaltransportforum.org/Topics/CO2AbatementPDFs/WorldCO2.pdf">730 million tons</a> of CO₂ annually).</p> <p>New tech is fun, but it begs the question - why not just use traditional tractors to move aircraft around the tarmac? This would seem to accomplish the same goal, albeit without the novelty of autonomous robotic machinery.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/aircraft-taxibot-the-future-is-now">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/aircraft-taxibot-the-future-is-now#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/mo4KE_dlSC4" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/aircraft-taxibot-the-future-is-now Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:00:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/3hwIpP4Y8SA/ferraris-sexy-new-hybrid http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/ferraris-sexy-new-hybrid <p> <p>The greatest handicap for hybrid and electric vehicles has been their image as small,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1035866_hummer-drivers-say-im-more-moral-than-effete-prius-wimps" target="_blank">wimpy</a> city cars:&nbsp;imagine the&nbsp;GM EV1, Think! City and&nbsp;Toyota Prius. In the past couple years this has been changing, starting with the monster Tesla Roadster EV, which can beat most exotic cars in the quarter-mile. Now Ferrari is protyping a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/28/geneva-preview-ferrari-to-show-off-599-hybrid-production-model/%20" target="_blank">hybrid sports car</a>, the GTB Fiorano, for the upcoming Geneva Auto Show.</p> <p>True, the 599 GTB is no fuel-sipper: in it's current non-hybrid form, it sports a 612 HP V-12 engine and achieves <a href="http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/noframes/23478.shtml%20" target="_blank">10 MPG city / 14 MPG highway </a>(and this is on EPA's conservative city/highway drivecycles -- undoubtedly the fuel economy plummets when you're accelerating from 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds and zooming down the 280 at 150 MPH).<div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/xktuTFBAAVkDFVlBSwwlLXipsAdrPKtwcQbQpqInE92Jdhy3ZE8j6hYJxJnA/Ferrari-599-GTB-0011.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg"><img alt="Ferrari-599-gtb-0011" height="375" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/v8WGwteabab0u9rYz5Zwb4eqxPdAdpbPOB4DraJqWDLKP1pfWnWyCXWixfzg/Ferrari-599-GTB-0011.jpg.scaled.500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/yy1CXnokGFJFDAuI0qMQS07LUisbuP9S2VHwiyurW3IB6w9KAquRMewF5XEF/ferrari-59911.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg"><img alt="Ferrari-59911" height="375" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/B12v4Kq4HHqnSQJC0OMCcE3M8fkQWcYDThC4Ij59NnRGS7GgjJASgd0kLsAL/ferrari-59911.jpg.scaled.500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <img alt="Tesla-roadster1" height="375" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/r8PZJ1stKNNKgoMPqR9GTnm6eh6JJMFkh565Ji6LikgLeby840VotGhaHIxG/tesla-roadster1.jpg" width="500" /> <img alt="6a00d8341bf67c53ef00e5527b9561" height="333" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/nEHq98foeVxJr4OlFOttf93xG3zAk1yEgyqmkAIys1zZ6OBqleFwM4RWNZz5/6a00d8341bf67c53ef00e5527b9561.jpg" width="500" /> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/ferraris-sexy-new-hybrid">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> <p></p> <p>Regardless, the hybrid Ferrari would be a great boost to the image of green vehicles, showing that a hybrid car can be green and mean at the same time. Unfortunately, ringing in at <a href="http://www.motortrend.com/new_cars/04/ferrari/599/index.html" target="_blank">$320k</a>, it costs three times as much as the Roadster with just a fraction of the green benefits. But honestly, at that price and with that performance, I wouldn't be too concerned about emissions. Heck, maybe you can buy carbon offsets to go completely carbon neutral.</p> <p>So which would you choose, the Ferrari or the Roadster? Check out these sexy photos.</p> <p>Thanks to <a href="http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/ferrari-prepares-hybrid-for-geneva-auto-show/%20" target="_blank">Jim Motavalli </a>at the NY Times, who knows his Ferraris.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/ferraris-sexy-new-hybrid">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/ferraris-sexy-new-hybrid#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/3hwIpP4Y8SA" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/ferraris-sexy-new-hybrid Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:05:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/FxaTAsmRwJk/where-can-you-find-the-future-of-ethanol-ask http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/where-can-you-find-the-future-of-ethanol-ask <p> <p style=""><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The folks&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="http://earth2tech.com">earth2tech</a>&nbsp;have been tracking developments in green technology for some time now, covering the gamut of vehicle tech, clean power, energy storage, policy, and smart grid development. Now, using the Google Maps plug-in and a database of energy programs and events, they are <a href="http://earth2tech.com/maps/">plotting nationwide trends</a> in the growth of clean electricity and alternative fuels. When viewed on a nationwide scale, some interesting patterns jump out.&nbsp;</span></p> <p style=""><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">First is the rise and fall of ethanol and other biofuels. After a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/business/25ethanol.html?_r=1">rush of investment</a> into capacity starting in 2005, spurred on in part by the biofuel mandate in the Energy Independence and Security Act, many companies have fallen victim to larger industry forces, including <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/30/business/30ethanol.html">over-production</a>, <a href="http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/fuel/rfs.html">constrained distribution networks</a>, and limited retail outlets. As captured on earth2tech's (perhaps over-dramatically-labeled) Biofuel Deathwatch map, a wave of bankruptcies has rolled through the corn-belt from Nebraska, through Iowa, into Illinois and Indiana. Not surprising, considering the region&rsquo;s concentration of corn biofuel facilities.</span></p> <p style=""><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span></p> <p style=""><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Pastedgraphic-1" height="348" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/jiLzt7B9bb3vaSAWFEq7Ua4swD5h3tvjdZv6JQF57c3EiEDm9ZxdYRpnLFJr/PastedGraphic-1.tiff.converted.jpg" width="422" /> </div> </span></p> <p style=""><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">earth2tech: <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&amp;gl=us&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;oe=UTF8&amp;source=embed&amp;msa=0&amp;msid=100024416568883817560.00044249b4bd966e2adf0&amp;ll=36.71361,-102.094059&amp;spn=13.911629,35.977822">Biofuel Deathwatch</a></span></p> <p /> <div>More interesting is the distribution of next-generation cellulosic ethanol plants and refineries. Since the cellulosic process can take advantage of a variety of <a href="http://www.bioenergywiki.net/Cellulosic_feedstocks">feedstocks</a>, from crops like switchgrass, woody biomass culled from forest reserves, and wastestream resources like corn husks and cobs. This variety is reflected in the distribution of plants, from the West Coast through the Midwest, on to the gulf and northeast. Not only does this distribution take advantage of the variety of local feedstocks, it also goes a long way towards solving one of the greatest challenges surrounding ethanol - difficulty in <a href="http://bulktransporter.com/mag/transportation_biofuels_overcome_distribution/">long-distance transportation</a>. Since ethanol can't easily be shipped via pipeline, much of the corn ethanol from the Midwest had to be shipped in tanker trucks or rail. By locating the ethanol refineries all around the country, producers can limit the distance to market. Considering all the <a href="http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0202-ethanol.html">environmental benefits</a> of cellulosic over corn ethanol, this pattern of development bodes well for both the viability of the fuel and its green impact.</div> <div><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Pastedgraphic-2" height="352" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/2WHPbGJ5CtF6GpsGVgZEPm1JaknjOwlub7v0NeGRxJEbYqkTZiacTcUpH19a/PastedGraphic-2.tiff.converted.jpg" width="423" /> </div> </div> <div>earth2tech: <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp;hl=en&amp;msa=0&amp;msid=100024416568883817560.00044ec5904f61e2d8f5b&amp;source=embed&amp;ll=42.032974,-93.164062&amp;spn=45.39123,74.707031&amp;z=3">The Cellulosic Ethanol Race</a></div> <div> <p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Additional earth2tech maps show the rise of other green technologies. From solar instillations in the Sunbelt from California to New Mexico, to battery manufacturing plants in Michigan and the Southeast, green tech is sweeping the nation. Which is good news, from an environmental policy perspective. The more widespread your industry is, the greater your constituency is, and the more sway you'll have in D.C.!</span></p> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/where-can-you-find-the-future-of-ethanol-ask">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/where-can-you-find-the-future-of-ethanol-ask#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/FxaTAsmRwJk" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/where-can-you-find-the-future-of-ethanol-ask Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:54:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/_Mn6WoAatUQ/eco-friendly-pallets-lead-the-way-to-eco-frie-0 http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/eco-friendly-pallets-lead-the-way-to-eco-frie-0 <p> <p>There&rsquo;s a battle brewing in freight transportation over a small yet vital component of the nation&rsquo;s freight system &ndash; the lowly pallet. This commonly-overlooked device is the foundation of goods movement; it is the primary component of today&rsquo;s containerized system. In the United States our freight is shipped on an estimated 1.4 billion pallets in active circulation. Of these, 93% are constructed from wood, with the nearly all the rest molded from plastic.</p> <p>Needless to say, <a href="http://www.unitload.vt.edu/presentations/US%20Wood%20Pallet%20Industry.pdf">a large industry</a> has evolved around pallet construction, distribution, maintenance, and recycling. As of the year 2000 there were over 2,700 pallet manufacturers in the US, most of whom also recover and recycle used pallets. In that year the market for new and &ldquo;pre-owned&rdquo; pallets topped 650 million units. Given these numbers, it&rsquo;s no surprise that the pallet industry would cast a long shadow of environmental impacts; nor is it a surprise that industry groups would battle over who is to blame.</p> <p></p> <p>These impacts were in the spotlight last November when the consumer products firm Johnson &amp; Johnson began to recall shipments of its pain reliever Tylenol. The company was reacting to consumer complaints of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea surrounding the product. The recall, <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583147,00.html">recently expanded</a> to Rolaids, Benadryl, and a dozen other over-the-counter brands, has been blamed on chemical residues transferred from the wooden pallets used in the shipment. The chemical, methyl bromide (phased out in the US but still widely used overseas) was applied as a pesticide to kill any insects living in the wooden pallets, conforming with requirements of the UN <a href="https://www.ippc.int/id/13332">International Plant Protection Convention</a>. Excess fumigant remained on the pallets and tainted the goods they carried, and ultimately sickened the consumer. It&rsquo;s still not clear why the chemicals were passed on in this case but not in other situations with fumigated pallets.</p> <p>This debacle has become a sawhorse for industry groups seeking to win public-relations points. <a href="http://www.mhia.org/industrygroups/rpcpa">The Reusable Container &amp; Pallet Association</a> calls attention to the recall as another example of how plastic pallets are more sanitary and less polluting than wooden pallets. These claims have been rebuked by the <a href="http://nwpca.com/">National Wooden Pallet and Container Association</a> (slogan: &ldquo;Pallets Move the World&rdquo;), who point out that plastic pallets have their own contaminants, including the soon-to-be-banned brominated flame-retardant <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decabromodiphenyl_ether">DECA</a>. Each side claims the green mantle when comparing the two products side by side.</p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">It&rsquo;s undeniable that wooden pallets have a different environmental footprint than plastic pallets; but it&rsquo;s less clear which footprint is smaller. Most of the environmental claims revolve around lifecycle sustainability of each product. Unfortunately, much like the &ldquo;paper vs. plastic&rdquo; grocery bag </span><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/07/paper-bags-or-plastic-bags-everything-you-need-to-know.php"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #0000ff; font-size: x-small;">controversy</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">, much of the LCA analysis depends on specifics of where and how the product is produced, recycled, and disposed, which will vary from company to company. Instead, we&rsquo;ll focus on a problem we can solve (or at least characterize), the fuel economy implications of the lighter plastic pallets over their wooden competition.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">While it&rsquo;s true that plastic pallets weigh half as much as their competition, the fact that pallets account for such a small percentage of total freight ton-miles means that any savings due from an individual pallet will be very small. However, the sheer size of the freight industry means that even small changes have large aggregate impacts. By shaving 30 lbs. off of the traditional pallet weight, a plastic pallet plastic could save a half-pint of diesel every year, or two gallons of diesel (or approx $7) over its lifetime. In aggregate however, the fuel savings are much larger. If the market share of plastic pallets were to increase by 1%, the freight industry would save a million gallons of diesel every year, equivalent to </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/oms/climate/420f05001.htm"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #0000ff; font-size: x-small;">eleven thousand tons</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> of CO₂, or taking </span><a href="http://www.energy.ca.gov/commissioners/rosenfeld_docs/Equivalence-Matrix_2001-05.pdf"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #0000ff; font-size: x-small;">two thousand cars</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> off the road.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">So while the impact of a single pallet may be small, the benefits of large-scale changes can add up. This is one reason why companies such as Wal-Mart, which have greater vertical influence over their supply chain, are pushing suppliers to adopt </span><a href="http://www.palletenterprise.com/articledatabase/view.asp?articleID=2226"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #0000ff; font-size: x-small;">greener practices</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> including pallet sourcing and recycling. To the extent that environmental benefits align with economic benefits, the lowly pallet may make a great contribution to a cleaner transportation system.</span></p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/eco-friendly-pallets-lead-the-way-to-eco-frie-0">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/eco-friendly-pallets-lead-the-way-to-eco-frie-0#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/_Mn6WoAatUQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/eco-friendly-pallets-lead-the-way-to-eco-frie-0 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:00:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/0HBehudokDg/the-coming-wave-of-electric-vehicles-in-pictu http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/the-coming-wave-of-electric-vehicles-in-pictu <p> <p>The future of electric vehicles was on display at the <a href="http://plugin2010.com/">Plug-In 2010 Conference &amp; Exposition</a>, held in San Jose, California. The event, hosted by <a href="http://www.epri.com">EPRI</a> and the <a href="http://svlg.org/">Silicon Valley Leadership Group</a>, included a show room of over a dozen plug-in, hybrid, and battery electric vehicles, running the gamut from established brands to experimental models. Concepts on display included Mitsubishi's MiEV, the Chevy Volt, the Ford Fusion EV, and Nissan Leaf. Also on display was Arcimoto's experimental <a href="http://www.arcimoto.com/concept">Pulse</a> three-wheeled EV.</p> <p>&nbsp;The EV Revolution has been hyped for many years, but with several models in production and several manufacturers racing to be first to the showroom floor, it appears that the market is finally ready to take off. Can't wait to see the next generation at Plug-In 2011!&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/DsgqcdreotqaliHbbxrxykEaAzewfvFdJlgyhyIuukDuiGFtgehfjvxyuuAg/IMG_2509.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_2509" height="667" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/DsgqcdreotqaliHbbxrxykEaAzewfvFdJlgyhyIuukDuiGFtgehfjvxyuuAg/IMG_2509.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/lbvcqqdkmhFmlnCgvtEIxqinGibmnjdDBsBDwFhdwutvhtjlJElboCjjvdwc/IMG_2473.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_2473" height="375" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/lbvcqqdkmhFmlnCgvtEIxqinGibmnjdDBsBDwFhdwutvhtjlJElboCjjvdwc/IMG_2473.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/EqBaCJkuCwsbFHgiIGqzrnerdFhEDzeiefshAiJrEbIwlpFIyokGBbrqhgkH/IMG_2478.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_2478" height="375" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/EqBaCJkuCwsbFHgiIGqzrnerdFhEDzeiefshAiJrEbIwlpFIyokGBbrqhgkH/IMG_2478.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/EJcipCrwcprkByuBtJGoarsscfDGdieIraEqIghlrefIfcqChnyhqJBBortp/IMG_2482.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_2482" height="375" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/EJcipCrwcprkByuBtJGoarsscfDGdieIraEqIghlrefIfcqChnyhqJBBortp/IMG_2482.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/GvzrEBIExgjhbsBcCAxkyhzkudDujFFdbqdtFcDtDkzxCjcikbtghIHdsgrf/IMG_2489.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_2489" height="375" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/GvzrEBIExgjhbsBcCAxkyhzkudDujFFdbqdtFcDtDkzxCjcikbtghIHdsgrf/IMG_2489.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/CspDffzvjoItbhrqDgtdetJfajjrvhckhxlEoDHceepIbuasjlvzlIaBDojo/IMG_2495.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_2495" height="375" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/CspDffzvjoItbhrqDgtdetJfajjrvhckhxlEoDHceepIbuasjlvzlIaBDojo/IMG_2495.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/flHqpuJzmrmbxhymfcgghmtAbelvEFidJbfCCaIhjcpjysAmBwewwkIEItBH/IMG_2499.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_2499" height="375" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/flHqpuJzmrmbxhymfcgghmtAbelvEFidJbfCCaIhjcpjysAmBwewwkIEItBH/IMG_2499.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/dnlyyCmehvijbqrroixnFeeyfjJoClmIIDnBIhokwAGxhmbiusDEqaIgmGhB/IMG_2507.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_2507" height="375" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-21/dnlyyCmehvijbqrroixnFeeyfjJoClmIIDnBIhokwAGxhmbiusDEqaIgmGhB/IMG_2507.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/the-coming-wave-of-electric-vehicles-in-pictu">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/the-coming-wave-of-electric-vehicles-in-pictu">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/the-coming-wave-of-electric-vehicles-in-pictu#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/0HBehudokDg" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/the-coming-wave-of-electric-vehicles-in-pictu Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:03:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/WDoqPpJQRwM/criteria-pollutants-and-a-cleaner-america http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/criteria-pollutants-and-a-cleaner-america <p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;">It&rsquo;s safe to say that in the past forty years no governmental agency has improved our lives as much as the Environmental Protection Agency. Since its </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/epa/15c.htm">formation</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> through the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act (possibly Nixon&rsquo;s greatest legacy), the agency has cleaned up our air and water through a combination of science-based pollution standards, green programs and incentives (the carrot), and binding regulation (the stick). Through its actions, EPA has identified and mitigated hazardous pollutants, resulting in cleaner cars, trucks, and just about every other mode.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;">When we talk about air quality, we&rsquo;re talking specifically about the six </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/">Criteria Air Pollutants</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> (CAPs) that EPA flagged as harmful to public health and welfare: carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), particulate matter (both coarse PM₁₀ and fine PM_2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and lead (Pb), and ozone (O₃). These CAPs have been proven to cause </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/pdfs/aqtrnd94.pdf">long-term health damage</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">: CO enters the bloodstream and causes cardiovascular damage; ozone and NO₂ damage the lungs, leading to asthma and other respiratory illnesses (especially in children); particulate matter, especially from diesel trucks, is carcinogenic; SO₂ causes acid rain; and lead poisoning destroys the body&rsquo;s organs. In all, the CAPs are a nasty bunch of pollutants.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Epidemiological studies have shown that the health impact of CAPs increases with concentration, implying that there are &ldquo;safe&rdquo; and &ldquo;unsafe&rdquo; levels of each pollutant. These thresholds are one factor in determining </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.html">pollutant standards</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">, which often are specified on several time intervals. Many of the pollutants have several standards which may include average annual exposure levels, average daily (24-hr) exposure, average 8-hour exposure, and average 1-hr exposure. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;">When a region falls short of EPA emission standards, it is labeled a Nonattainment Area (NAA), so named because it fails to attain the air quality standards. A region could be designated as NAA for one or several of the pollutants, and one or several of the standards (i.e. 24-hr, 8,-hr, 1-hr). Further, each NAA is classified by the magnitude of the problem, along the scale of Marginal, Moderate, Serious, Severe, and Extreme. The NAA designation and classification can carry a heavy regulatory burden, as it determines which set of EPA obligations apply to the region.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;">EPA provides several sources to tell you everything you want/need to know about criteria pollutants and NAAs. The first is the<em> </em></span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/greenbk/"><em>EPA Green Book</em><em></em></a><em></em><span style="font-family: Arial;">, which has the most current information on pollutant levels and NAA regions. The second is the annual<em> </em></span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/reports.html"><em>National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report</em><em></em></a><em></em><span style="font-family: Arial;">, which provides historical information on the subject back to 1971.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Actually, it&rsquo;s amazing that we have made so much progress in reducing pollution. Considering that the nation has grown in so many ways &ndash; population, GDP, energy consumption, vehicle-miles traveled &ndash; the fact that criteria pollution emissions have </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/air/airtrends/2008/report/TrendsReportfull.pdf">decreased significantly</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> (41% since 1990) speaks to the power of EPA&rsquo;s programs and regulations.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;">In a future post I&rsquo;ll take a closer look at how the number of nonattainment areas, and the number of people exposed to high levels of pollution, has changed over the past 40 years.</span></p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/5o3nOnAAASiSdGytpbVcICXHciRU7gNR53ZXwnuFnMII1N3UH57DLC0fob8Z/ole0.bmp"><img alt="Ole0" height="283" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/acceleratinggreen/PSt4gig2bVT3lcTIJtXFKE2SZb6P9BRkz6NZdnHPlp1BYkCABxJxPqWzh28b/ole0.bmp.scaled.500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Source: </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/air/airtrends/2008/report/TrendsReportfull.pdf">EPA report</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><em> National Air Quality Status and Trends through 2007.</em></span></p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/criteria-pollutants-and-a-cleaner-america">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/criteria-pollutants-and-a-cleaner-america#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/WDoqPpJQRwM" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/criteria-pollutants-and-a-cleaner-america Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:47:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/n5v70tztfzI/trb-2010-viability-of-compressed-air-vehicles http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-viability-of-compressed-air-vehicles <p> <p>At next week&rsquo;s TRB conference, we&rsquo;ll be presenting two papers on compressed air vehicles, which will increase the body of work on the subject to&hellip;two papers. Both our posters are in the same session, at the Hilton International Center on Tuesday morning. Stop by to learn more!</p> <p>Both papers look at the same subject from different perspectives, and together cover many facets of air cars. Below are the abstracts and embedded papers. If you have any thoughts or questions, post them in the comments below or come talk to me at TRB.</p> <p></p> <p>COMPRESSED AIR VEHICLES: A DRIVE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF VEHICLE PERFORMANCE, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, AND ECONOMIC COSTS</p> <p>Andrew Papson, Felix Creutzig, Lee Schipper</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px; margin: 0in 0in 9pt;">In the face of the climate crisis, petroleum dependence, and volatile gasoline prices, it is imperative to explore possible opportunities in unconventional alternative-fuel vehicles. One such option is the Compressed Air Vehicle (CAV), or air car, powered by a pneumatic motor and on-board high-pressure gas tank. While proponents claim CAVs offer environmental and economic benefits over conventional vehicles, the technology has not been subject to more rigorous analysis. This paper characterizes the potential performance of CAVs in terms of fuel economy, driving range, carbon footprint, and fuel costs, and examines their viability as a transportation option as compared to gasoline and electric vehicles. Subjects of analysis include: energy density of compressed air; thermodynamic losses of expansion; CAV efficiency on a pump-to-wheel and well-to-wheel basis; and comparisons to gasoline and electric vehicles. Results show that while the CAV is a bold, unconventional solution for today&rsquo;s transportation challenges, it is ultimately not viable, comparing poorly to gasoline and electric vehicles in all environmental and economic metrics. Further, applications of the CAV are severely constrained due to its limited driving range. The results from this paper, including the analysis of energy density and expansion losses, may be used to identify future viable opportunities for CAV applications. The pump-to-wheels and well-to-wheels methodology contained here establishes a framework for evaluating future CAV designs.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px; margin: 0in 0in 9pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/24826820/Compressed-Air-Vehicles-A-Drive-Cycle-Analysis-of-Vehicle-Performance-Environmental-Impacts-and-Economic-Costs">http://www.scribd.com/doc/24826820/Compressed-Air-Vehicles-A-Drive-Cycle-Analysis-of-Vehicle-Performance-Environmental-Impacts-and-Economic-Costs</a></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> <p>HOT DEAL OR HOT AIR? LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS OF PNEUMATIC CARS</p> <p>Felix Creutzig, Andrew Papson, Dan Kammen, Lee Schipper</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px; margin: 0in 0in 9pt;">Through a series of press releases and demonstrations, a car using energy stored in compressed-air made available from a compressor has been suggested as an environmentally friendly vehicle of the future. We analyze the thermodynamic efficiency of a compressed-air car powered by a pneumatic engine and consider the merits of compressed air versus chemical storage of potential energy. Even under highly optimistic assumptions the compressed-air car is significantly less efficient than a battery electric vehicle and would produce more greenhouse gas emissions than a conventional gas-powered car. However, a pneumatic-combustion hybrid is technologically feasible, inexpensive and might compete with hybrid electric vehicles.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px; margin: 0in 0in 9pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/24827548/Hot-Deal-or-Hot-Air-Life-Cycle-Analysis-of-Pneumatic-Cars">http://www.scribd.com/doc/24827548/Hot-Deal-or-Hot-Air-Life-Cycle-Analysis-of-Pneumatic-Cars</a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 9pt; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-viability-of-compressed-air-vehicles">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-viability-of-compressed-air-vehicles#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/n5v70tztfzI" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-viability-of-compressed-air-vehicles Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:39:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/JmpBYnuzids/trb-2010-strategies-to-reduce-tugboat-polluti http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-strategies-to-reduce-tugboat-polluti <p> <p>My first poster presentation next week is on a project we completed for EPA on ways to reduce pollution from tugboats on the Mississippi river. Tugboats are heavy polluters, since they have very large engines (some &gt;3,000 hp), are very old (tugs can have a lifespan of 50 years), and unregulated by EPA. We explore five strategies, both operational and technological, for reducing tugboat emissions.</p> <p>Stop by my poster Monday morning at the Omni Shoreham Blue Room Foyer to learn all you ever wanted to know about tugboat pollution!</p> <p>Here is the abstract and embedded paper:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>COST EFFECTIVENESS OF FIVE EMISSION REDUCTION STRATEGIES FOR INLAND RIVER TUG AND TOWBOATS</p> <p>Andrew Papson, Seth Hartley, Lou Browning</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Waterborne transit is one of the safest and most efficient forms of goods movement. The tug and tow industry transports over 800 million tons of cargo each year, and is a vital component of the U.S. intermodal freight transportation network. However, emissions from tugboat operations contribute to air quality impacts on the Nation&rsquo;s inland river waterways and ports, at a cost to public health and welfare. While ports and vessel operators can mitigate these environmental impacts with technological and operational strategies, the effectiveness and cost of each strategy varies greatly. This study analyzes the cost effectiveness of five tugboat emission reduction strategies, including (1) vessel engine repowering, (2) vessel speed reduction, (3) biodiesel, (4) diesel particulate filters and (5) selective catalytic reduction. Each strategy is evaluated for its emissions benefits, costs to the tugboat industry, ports, and government agencies, and overall cost effectiveness in reducing emissions of NOX, CO, PM10, and CO2. Application to the Ports of St. Louis and Houston show that the most cost-effective strategy varies by port, depending on characteristics of the local tugboat fleet. The results of this study can be applied by public agencies and private operators when considering investments in tugboat emission reduction measures.</p> <p><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/24825669/Cost-Effectiveness-of-Five-Emission-Reduction-Strategies-for-Inland-River-Tugs-and-Towboats">http://www.scribd.com/doc/24825669/Cost-Effectiveness-of-Five-Emission-Reduction-Strategies-for-Inland-River-Tugs-and-Towboats</a><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/24827548/Hot-Deal-or-Hot-Air-Life-Cycle-Analysis-of-Pneumatic-Cars"></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-strategies-to-reduce-tugboat-polluti">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-strategies-to-reduce-tugboat-polluti#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/JmpBYnuzids" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/trb-2010-strategies-to-reduce-tugboat-polluti Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:37:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~3/27M0cL1KOnc/attending-the-transportation-research-board-c http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/attending-the-transportation-research-board-c <p> <p>Next week is the <a href="http://trb.org/AnnualMeeting2010/Public/AnnualMeeting2010.aspx">annual conference</a> for the <a href="http://trb.org/Main/Public/Home.aspx">Transportation Research Board</a>, in Washington DC on Jan 10-14. This year I'm presenting two posters, one on strategies to reduce tugboat pollution and the other on compressed-air vehicles as an alternative fuel.</p> <p>My tugboat presentation is Monday morning at the Omni Shoreham, in the Blue Room Foyer. I&rsquo;ll be manning the poster from 10-11am. My air car presentation is Tuesday morning at the Hilton, in the International Center. I&rsquo;ll be manning the poster from 10-11am. You&rsquo;ll also find me at the UC Berkeley reception on Monday night at the Hilton, and the Transportation Energy and Alternative Fuels committee meetings Wednesday afternoon at the Marriott.</p> <p>The conference should be a lot of fun; the presentations are often fascinating and it's great to see old colleagues and friends. If you're at the conference, stop by to say hi! I'll tell you all you ever wanted to know about tugboats and air cars.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/attending-the-transportation-research-board-c">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/attending-the-transportation-research-board-c#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AcceleratingGreen/~4/27M0cL1KOnc" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/824979/papson-headshot-300x300.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36UO2RwkOjg5 Andrew Papson Andrew Andrew Papson http://www.acceleratinggreen.com/attending-the-transportation-research-board-c