Energy Exchange

Satellites and state regulators: New data spotlights extreme emissions and need for action in nation’s largest oilfield

By EDF Blogs / Published: April 22, 2020

This week a study drawing on nearly a year’s worth of satellite data revealed that Permian methane emissions are the highest ever measured from a U.S. oil and gas basin.

As the federal government continues its rollback of methane safeguards, public attention is now trained on policymakers and companies in Texas and New Mexico — two leading oil producing states that straddle the Permian Basin.

While New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham forges ahead on nation-leading rules to curb oil and gas methane waste and pollution, state leaders in Texas have yet to get serious about a problem that could undermine the industry’s viability in an economy that increasingly prioritizes cleaner sources of energy.

Posted in Air Quality, Climate, Methane, Methane regulatons, Natural Gas, PermianMAP, Texas / Tagged New Mexico | Comments are closed

California’s smart and economically savvy plan for electrifying trucks

By Lauren Navarro / Published: March 6, 2020

California is working on a bold new plan that will put more electric trucks on the streets, and take dangerous pollution out of the air. Under this plan, manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty trucks will be required to sell more new electric and fuel-cell options in California, starting in 2024. The final details of this rule will be released over the next few months.

The rule stands to have huge benefits for the 12 million Californians who live in areas with high levels of air pollution. Despite making up just 7% of vehicles on the road, medium- and heavy-duty trucks release 35% of the state’s total NOx and 25% of diesel particulate matter, significantly impacting nearby communities’ health. In fact, vehicles and the fossil fuels that power them create more air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions than any other source across the state.

Posted in California, Electric Vehicles / Comments are closed

4 new developments that prove electric trucks and buses are gaining momentum

By Jason Mathers / Published: August 21, 2019

The electric vehicle movement is having a moment. And I’m not talking about the usual passenger EVs that everyone already knows about — the Teslas, the Volts, the Bolts or the Leafs.

I’m talking about the next wave of EV markets that, when they take off, will fundamentally change how people and freight are moved. Here are four new developments that prove electric trucks and buses are gaining momentum.

1. Washington commits dollars, legislation to electric buses

First, a pair of announcements from Washington could spur new research and deployment of various low or zero-emission transit vehicles. The Federal Transportation Administration awarded 38 grants totaling $85 million to transit agencies across the country to purchase or lease “low or no emission” buses. Since its inception, the FTA’s Low-No program has funded more than $300 million in new buses, training or infrastructure. And a group of U.S. senators introduced the Clean School Bus Act last month, through which the U.S. Department of Energy would spend a billion dollars to help convert diesel school buses to clean electric models. A companion bill was just introduced into the House.

Posted in Clean Energy, Electric Vehicles / Comments are closed

As electric trucks and buses charge ahead, how can we help them avoid roadblocks?

By Jason Mathers / Published: April 1, 2019

The business and environmental case for electrifying large electric vehicles – such as buses, delivery trucks, garbage trucks and regional “day cab” tractors used at ports – is gaining traction, and there’s good reason to be excited about this momentum.

FedEx recently announced that it’s adding 1,000 EV delivery vans to its fleet. Amazon announced a $700 million investment in an electric truck start-up and then pledged to have half of its deliveries be zero-emissions by 2030. And in California, all new municipal buses will be zero-emissions within a decade, the result of a bold new program adopted by the state’s Air Resources Board last year.

As companies and local governments move from piloting electric fleets to full deployment, their climate potential is becoming clearer. For example, a recent Bloomberg report found that by the end of 2019, a cumulative 270,000 barrels a day of diesel demand will have been displaced by electric buses globally. That’s more than three times the displacement by all the world’s passenger electric vehicles.

Posted in Air Quality, Electric Vehicles, Grid Modernization / Comments are closed

California aims to hit ambitious climate goals through electrification

By Larissa Koehler / Published: November 14, 2018

It’s been a good couple of weeks for clean energy in sunny California, which continues to move buildings and transportation away from dirty fossil fuels. This increased focus is well-placed: emissions from the transportation sector remain unacceptably high, accounting for nearly 40 percent of harmful pollution in the state; buildings are also a significant contributor, responsible for as much as 25 percent of the state’s emissions. Without committing to the electrification of these sectors – quickly – ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets in the state will be that much more difficult to achieve. Thankfully, a number of recent developments at the state level prove that California has what it takes to transform these sectors for good.

Posted in California, Electric Vehicles / Comments are closed

New York breathes easier as plans emerge for electrification, starting with new city buses

By Rory Christian / Published: May 3, 2018

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City, operator of the largest bus fleet in the United States, recently announced a plan to adopt a zero-emissions electric vehicle (EV) fleet by 2040. This news is a welcome breath of fresh air. Transitioning away from diesel-fueled buses will improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers in numerous ways. But the question remains: Why will it take more than 20 years?

The deadline is likely a result of the MTA’s need to determine how best to integrate EVs into their current operations while maintaining, and improving, quality of service. There are a myriad of logistical and operational aspects to consider before making a full transition. These considerations will be identified during the agency’s bus pilot, scheduled to start with 10 EV buses this year and planning to expand to 60 buses within the next three years. Read More »

Posted in Air Quality, Clean Energy, Electric Vehicles, New York / Read 2 Responses