Update 3/27/2024: EDF gave testimony at the public hearing on the 45V treasury guidance. See testimony here and full public comments submitted here.
The Biden administration recently unveiled the long-awaited draft of its rules governing tens of billions of dollars’ worth of tax incentives that will greatly influence America’s nascent hydrogen economy and the extent to which the emerging industry delivers promised climate benefits.
This blog was co-authored by José Acosta-Córdova, Senior Transportation Policy Analyst at LVEJO
Transportation is a big issue in Illinois, accounting for almost one-third of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions — the sector responsible for the most GHG emissions in the state. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, such as delivery vans, transit buses and large tractor-trailers are a disproportionate contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, but also other emissions like nitrogen oxide and particulate matter that directly harm the health of Illinoisans. Despite making up less than 10% of on-road vehicles, these trucks and buses are responsible for 67% of NOx and 59% of PM.
Advocates in the state have long been calling for Gov. Pritzker to move forward on key policies to advance zero-emission trucks and buses. Chief among them is the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, which requires manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission trucks and school buses.
U.S. companies are expanding their electric vehicle fleets, and last year was monumental. An astounding 10,265 electric trucks hit the road in 2023, according to a new EDF analysis of class 2b-8 fleet announcements.
Last week, EPA Administrator Regan announced final standards to cut methane and harmful local air pollution from both new and existing facilities in the oil and gas industry.
Diverse stakeholders ranging from major oil-producing states like New Mexico to tribal air agencies to oil and gas producers and methane mitigation companies have all voiced support for the final standards.
By Istvan Bart, Climate Director
Last week, Virgin Atlantic became the first commercial airline to fly across the Atlantic ocean using 100% sustainable aviation fuels , demonstrating the incredible potential of clean, alternative fuels for flight. We need more planes flying on SAF, because if aviation were a country, it would be one of the world’s top 10 sources of greenhouse gas pollution.
Among the announcements expected at the COP28 climate talks in Dubai is a new industry standard for assessing the climate impacts of hydrogen, to be unveiled by the International Standards Organization. These standards could very quickly become the starting point for a cascade of other rules and regulations at national and state levels which set the path for how hydrogen is produced. If done well, we will have a playbook for how hydrogen deployment will help us achieve climate neutrality by 2050. But done poorly, we risk wasting money and increasingly precious time to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
