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[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Perspective: Drive Star Conversion Program Could Cut US Oil Use in Half by 2020
June 14, 2010
Perspective by Felix Kramer, Founder, CalCars
Reprinted by invitation from the CalCars website
[Calling the recent weeks “one of the most emotionally difficult times for me as I’ve seen people with far more clout than I fail to make headway in changing the lackluster, dispiriting and immensely frustrating responses to the Gulf catastrophe,” CalCars founder Felix Kramer has written a pre-response to President Obama’s scheduled Tuesday night speech to the US about the catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico.]
Tuesday night, President Obama will speak to the nation about the Gulf catastrophe. In a pre-response to that speech, having successfully advocated for plug-in hybrids like the forthcoming Chevy Volt, we propose that the President follow that speech up with a “realistic and conservative” roadmap to halve our oil use in 10 years.
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Perspective: Regional Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Programs May be the Solution
April 10, 2010
Perspective by Brian J. Donovan, CEO of Renergie, Inc.
Reprinted with permission from The Donovan Law Group website
INTRODUCTION
Cap-and-trade was first tried on a significant scale twenty years ago under the first Bush administration as a way to address the problem of airborne sulfur dioxide pollution–widely known as acid rain–from coal-burning power plants in the eastern United States. A limit was imposed on emissions from the power plants, and utilities were allowed to buy and sell permits to comply. These reductions in power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were achieved at a significantly lower cost than originally assumed. Today, this cap-and-trade program is considered one of the most efficient and cost-effective environmental initiatives ever implemented.
Environmentalists and industries resurrected the idea in recent years as a centerpiece of measures to address global warming and growing oil imports. Representatives Henry A. Waxman of California and Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, both Democrats, built their climate change bill last year in large measure around it. But in trying to assemble a majority to pass it, Mr. Waxman and Mr. Markey dished out a cornucopia of concessions and exemptions to coal companies, utilities, refiners, heavy industry and agribusinesses. The original simplicity was lost, replaced by a bazaar in which those with the most muscle got the best deals.
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Perspective: The Role of Offsets in Climate Change Legislation
March 06, 2010
| Perspective by Brian J. Donovan, CEO of Renergie, Inc. |  PDF version |
INTRODUCTION
An offset is a measurable reduction, avoidance, or sequestration of GHG emissions from a source not covered by an emission reduction program. If a cap-and-trade program includes offsets, regulated entities have the opportunity to purchase the “emission credits” generated by carbon offset projects to help them meet their compliance obligations. In this way, offsets would complement the more traditional emissions trading that can occur between two covered sources. For example, a covered source (an entity in the power generation, chemicals, steel, and cement industries) can make reductions beyond its compliance obligations and then sell these reductions as credits to other covered sources.
The main concern with offset projects is whether or not they represent real emission reductions. For offsets to be credible, a ton of CO2-equivalent emissions from an offset project should equate to a ton reduced from a covered emission source, such as a smokestack or exhaust pipe. This objective presents challenges because many offsets are difficult to measure. If illegitimate offset credits flow into an emissions trading program, the program would fail to reduce GHG emissions. Another concern is whether the inclusion of offsets would send the appropriate price signal to encourage the development of long-term mitigation technologies.
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Perspective: Government Leadership Needed for Electric Vehicles to Succeed
February 26, 2010
Perspective by Chris Hill, Manager, Central Fleet for the City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and author of Hamilton’s Green Fleet Implementation Plan.
[Mr. Hill is currently chair of the Ontario Chapter of NAFA Fleet Management Association, and a Green Party candidate for Canada’s Parliament in the next general election. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of these organizations.]
The critical need for government leadership in the emergence of electric vehicles dominated a recent Green Fleet Management discussion in Toronto, hosted by Fleet Challenge Ontario.
Jack Rosebro, founder of Perfect Sky in Los Angeles [and a contributor to Green Car Congress], spoke of the need for government policy makers to move beyond incremental changes that are not providing enough incentive for the market to produce alternatives to oil as the almost exclusive source of energy for road and rail transportation.
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Perspective: Toyota Prius Recall Is Only a Bump in the Road in the Move Toward Electrification
February 09, 2010
Perspective by Oliver Hazimeh, Director of the North American Automotive Practice and the Global e-Mobility Practice, PRTM
[Management consultancy PRTM was a contributor to the “Electrification Roadmap” released in November 2009 by the Electrification Coalition. Earlier post.]
The recall of Toyota’s Prius is causing some observers to question whether the prospects for the entire hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and electric vehicle (EV) markets are fundamentally hurt.
We don’t believe so. While a recall presents a short-term bump in the road regarding consumer perception of HEVs and EVs, there is no question that longer term, the fundamental drivers for increased powertrain electrification are alive and well.
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Perspective: Why Carbon Emissions Should Not Have Been the Focus of the UN Climate Change Summit and Why the 15th Conference of the Parties Should Have Focused on Technology Transfer
December 20, 2009
Perspective by Brian J. Donovan, CEO of Renergie, Inc.
[Renergie was formed for the initial purpose of raising capital to develop, construct, own and operate a decentralized network of ten modular-designed small advanced biofuel manufacturing facilities (SABMFs) in the parishes of the State of Louisiana which were devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.]
The Earth continues to experience record-breaking temperatures caused by increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). Experts predict that by the year 2060 global warming, if left unchecked, could result in a temperature rise of seven degrees Fahrenheit higher than temperatures before the Industrial Revolution when man started widespread use of coal and other fossil fuels. Oceans, already expanding from warmth and melting glaciers, would rise, increasing coastal flooding; a chain reaction of climate changes is projected to lead to harsher, more widespread droughts and more powerful storms. US intelligence and defense agencies say such environmental changes can lead to energy insecurity, water and food shortages, and social instability. That could mean more military involvement and massive disaster relief.
The most important environmental summit in the history of the world has concluded in Copenhagen. Unfortunately, this conference focused primarily on setting a cap on carbon emissions and providing financial aid to developing countries to build capacities to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change. This article discusses: (a) why the focus should have been on the transfer of proven renewable energy technology from developed to developing countries; and (b) how this technology transfer can be financed with currently available funds.
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Perspective: Ending Oil’s Monopoly—a Blueprint for Mobility Choice
December 16, 2009
Perspective by Deron Lovaas, Federal Transportation Policy Director, Natural Resources Defense Council
Oil is a strategic commodity second to none—it underlies the global economy and even the American way of life. Of course, other countries benefit from this fact, with about $900 million flowing out of the US to buy foreign oil every day, and about 40% of that going to OPEC. [1] Our dependence on oil also means that America must support military engagements in regions, such as the Persian Gulf, to defend energy sources, such as pipelines and sea lanes. As a result, America continues to be entangled with unfriendly or shaky regimes, which compromises the safety of our troops and our foreign policy objectives.
Volatility hurts us too, for as we’ve learned the price of oil can rise sharply in a short period of time. This means our economic stability is at stake because of our reliance on oil. In fact, four of the last five recessions were started by an oil price spike. [2] Furthermore, our environment cannot continue to bear the brunt of carbon emissions stemming from our heavy use of oil. We must fight against the increasing amount of carbon pollution entering our atmosphere if we are to leave our planet in better shape for generations to come.
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Perspective: US Needs to Transition to Hydrous Ethanol as the Primary Renewable Transportation Fuel
August 30, 2009
by Brian J. Donovan, CEO Renergie, Inc.
[This opinion piece originally appeared in the Field-to-Pump blog, published by Renergie, Inc.]
Use of Hydrous Ethanol in Brazil
The oil price shocks of the 1970s led the Brazilian government to address the strain high prices were placing on its fragile economy. Brazil, the largest and most populous country in South America, was importing 80% of its oil and 40% of its foreign exchange was used to pay for that imported oil.
In 1975, General Ernesto Geisel, then-president of Brazil, ordered the country’s gasoline supply mixed with 10% ethanol. The level was raised to 25% over the next five years, which was intended to maintain a constant Brazilian gasoline supply for an ever-increasing demand. The government assisted the shift by giving sugar companies subsidized loans to build ethanol plants, as well as guaranteeing prices for their ethanol products. Already the world’s biggest producer and exporter of sugar, farmers reaped the benefits of this new demand.
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Perspective: A View Into the New GM
by Bill Cooke
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| The Saturn version of the two-mode plug-in hybrid at the Milford Proving Grounds. Click to enlarge. |
On 11 August, GM invited approximately 75 journalists and auto analysts to spend a day learning about the new GM. The day was split between a morning session at the GM tech center in Warren and an afternoon session at the GM proving grounds in Milford, MI.
The morning session started out with an hour long press conference, the highlight being the unveiling of the Volt’s 230 mpg preliminary EPA city fuel economy finding (earlier post), as well as a tour showing selected elements from the studios of the four GM North American brands: Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac.