Toyota unveils EV series and 2050 carbon neutral goal

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Toyota has become the latest global auto giant to announce sweeping plans to expand its line-up of electric vehicles (EVs) and decarbonize its operations over the coming decades.

The Japanese auto giant has been facing mounting criticism in recent years over its perceived failure to match the growing number of car manufacturers to announce ambitious EV plans, as it instead sought to build on its position as a leader in the hybrid market.

However, last week it announced the launch of Toyota bZ, its newly established series of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), as it unveiled a concept version of the Toyota bZ4X at the Auto Shanghai motor show.

The move came as the company also pledged to achieve “carbon neutrality” by 2050 as part of a new “home planet” strategy. “In the course of our global business activities, Toyota will promote electrification strategies that contribute to reducing CO2 emissions throughout the entire lifecycle of a vehicle, while consulting with governments on how to improve the environment for the promotion of electrification,” the company said in a statement. “In addition, we will review and disclose information to confirm our public policy engagement activities are consistent with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement by the end of this year, and will strive to provide enhanced information disclosure so that as many stakeholders as possible can understand our activities.”

ExxonMobil, Global Clean Energy Expand Renewable Diesel Agreement

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ExxonMobil and Global Clean Energy have expanded their five-year agreement to increase ExxonMobil’s purchase of renewable diesel up to 5 million barrels per year.

ExxonMobil will be the exclusive buyer of renewable diesel from Global Clean Energy’s biorefinery in Bakersfield, Calif., which is on schedule to begin production in early 2022. The renewable diesel leverages Global Clean Energy’s patented camelina crop, which can significantly reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“Our expanded agreement with Global Energy reinforces ExxonMobil’s longstanding efforts to support society’s ambitions for lower-emission fuels,” says Ian Carr, president of ExxonMobil Fuels and Lubricants Co. “Through our growing relationship, we remain focused on bringing renewable fuels to market that make meaningful contributions to help consumers reduce their emissions.”

Renewable Natural Gas Gains Momentum as Trucking Fuel

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Progressively tougher clean air mandates and the increasing corporate focus on environmental sustainability could signal a larger role for natural gas — especially renewable natural gas — as a trucking fuel, experts said.

Although much of the industry’s conversation about alternative fuels has turned to electric-powered trucks in recent years, advocates for renewable natural gas, or RNG, point out that the fuel is capable of reaching net negative emissions of greenhouse gases by removing more carbon from the air than it creates.

RNG projects, unlike fossil fuel natural gas production, capture methane from existing food waste, animal manure, wastewater sludge and garbage, then repurpose it as a clean, green energy source, according to the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas.

South Carolina invests in 235 propane-fueled school buses

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The South Carolina Department of Education will receive $23.6 million for 235 new, propane-fueled school buses with funding from the second round of the state’s share of the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust.

The Department of Education also committed $87,400 to build two new propane fueling stations for the expanded propane school bus fleet throughout the state. The school districts expected to receive buses include: Aiken, Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester County School District Two, Greenville, Horry, Lexington School District One, Richland School District One, Richland School District Two and York School District Four.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman and South Carolina Department of Insurance (SCDOI) Director Ray Farmer announced the state’s total $24.54 million investment in school buses and public transit.

Nikola, TA-Petro Partnership Looks to Expand Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure

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Nikola Corp., through its Nikola Energy division, and TravelCenters of America Inc. (TA-Petro), a publicly traded operator of full-service travel centers in the U.S., have agreed to collaborate on the installation of hydrogen fueling stations for heavy-duty trucks at two existing TA-Petro sites.

The collaboration is a first step for the parties to explore the mutual development of a nationwide network of hydrogen fueling stations. The collaboration is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation acceptable to the parties.

“Our collaboration in southern California will form a basis for building an expanded network of hydrogen fueling stations for Nikola vehicle customers and for industry use overall,” says Pablo Koziner, president of energy and commercial at Nikola. “This collaboration forms an essential part in delivering the hydrogen-based ecosystem required to advance zero-emission solutions for commercial trucks.”

Fortistar Providing Comprehensive RNG Services with Merger of Portfolio Companies

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Fortistar LLC says two of its portfolio companies, Fortistar Methane Group (FMG), a developer of renewable natural gas (RNG) facilities, and TruStar Energy, a supplier of natural gas refueling solutions for the transportation sector, are merging under Opal Fuels LLC to form a new, fully integrated renewable fuels supply company for North America.

“In the nearly 30 years since founding Fortistar, I have never been more excited about the opportunities ahead,” says Mark Comora, president of Fortistar LLC. “Amid wildfires, heat waves, hurricanes and other extreme weather that punctuated a tumultuous 2020, the world is now more determined than ever to address climate change. Opal will help decarbonize the U.S. transportation industry – which generates the largest share of annual greenhouse gas emissions – by supplying sustainable energy fueled by RNG.”

Love’s, Cargill JV Developing Complete Renewable Diesel Pipeline

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The Love’s Family of Companies and Cargill have entered into a 50/50 joint venture to produce and market renewable diesel – a green fuel experiencing rising demand.

The joint venture – Heartwell Renewables- will result in the construction of a new production plant and more than 50 jobs in Hastings, Neb. The plant will have the ability to produce approximately 80 million gallons annually of renewable diesel.

As part of the joint venture, Cargill will provide feedstock in the form of tallow, a rendered animal fat co-product following protein processing. Once the diesel is produced, Musket, the commodity trading and logistics arm of the Love’s Family of Companies, will transport and market the product in the U.S. Heartwell Renewables will be the only entity of its kind to both produce and market renewable diesel all the way to the retail pump.

A wave of electric workhorses is coming

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When most folks think of the electrification of transportation, they naturally think about electric cars. And all those new models coming out — from Ford’s Mach-e to Volkswagen’s ID.4 — are super exciting.

But of equal importance is all those other vehicles big and small that aren’t carrying passengers on commutes or to the local Starbucks, but that are toiling behind the scenes. Vehicles such as the big rigs that carry goods across state lines, vans that drop off packages at your front door, garbage trucks that pick up our waste or the forklifts that move pallets across the floor in warehouses.

Electrifying these commercial vehicles will be potentially even more important than passenger vehicles for reducing carbon emissions and for cleaning up local air pollution. There are also more incentives for fleet managers to adopt these battery-powered vehicles, because in a growing amount of cases, electric vehicles can save companies money over using diesel power.

Clariant, Pertamina collaborate on advanced biofuels assessment

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Clariant, a focused, sustainable, and innovative specialty chemical company, is working with Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas corporation, Pertamina, since 2018 to evaluate and test the feasibility of Clariant’s sunliquid technology to process available regional feedstocks in Indonesia into the advanced biofuel, cellulosic ethanol.

Indonesia has a vast potential of untapped biomass, from empty fruit bunches to palm leaves, that could be converted into cellulosic ethanol. Their present-day utilization is negligible and, until now, both feedstocks are frequently burnt, causing air pollution.

In Indonesia, ethanol demand is expected to increase dramatically, spurred primarily by a nationwide E10 ethanol blending mandate. Advanced fuel technology solutions, such as Clariant’s sunliquid process, are vital to match the feedstock potential with the increasing ethanol demand in the country.

USPS contractor adds propane autogas trucks through DOE grant

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Hi Pro Inc. is adding five Class 6 straight box propane autogas delivery trucks to its fleet. The company, a nationwide mail logistics contractor, has more than 40 years of service history with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

The vehicles are part of a $1 million research pilot project funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. The project, “Delivering Clean Air in Denver: Propane Trucks and Infrastructure in Mail Delivery Application,” will fund the purchase and deployment for Hi Pro Inc.’s fleet in Denver.

The Denver Metro Clean Cities Coalition (DMCC) has partnered with the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory to track data and performance measurements of the propane autogas trucks. DMCC will work with the Propane Education & Research Council to provide educational materials using the collected data.