Biodiesel blends battle snow and ice in the Windy City

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With much of the country facing the onslaught of winter weather and the challenges it can bring, many fleets will power their diesel vehicles with biodiesel blends throughout the winter months, including the Chicago Park District.

Biodiesel blends up to 20 percent (B20), and sometimes even higher, are being used successfully throughout the nation, year-round. If properly managed, blends of ultra-low sulfur diesel and biodiesel of any feedstock can be used successfully in challenging winter climates.

“Here in Chicago, winter temperatures can drop to well below zero and we need to be sure our diesel vehicles operate smoothly even in extreme weather conditions,” said Mike Dimitroff, manager of the Department of Cultural & Natural Resources, Chicago Park District. “The Park District uses a B20 biodiesel blend to fuel heavy pick-ups, stake trucks, forestry trucks, tower trucks and more, all winter. We take a few precautions to ensure smooth operation, just like we would do with petroleum diesel, and have had no problems.”

Ethanol industry poised to play major role in net-zero emissions

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ELLISVILLE, Mo. — After a couple of years of more downs than ups, there’s optimistic news on the ethanol front looking toward 2022 and beyond.

Geoff Cooper, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO, sees opportunities for the industry in a net-zero carbon emissions future, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to return the Renewable Fuels Standard levels to the statutory volume.

Cooper looked ahead in a recent RFA-sponsored Ethanol Report.

“We think there is a tremendous role that ethanol can play in helping to get to the net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 goal. We know that ethanol itself can be a net-zero carbon emission fuel. Today we’re already cutting greenhouse emissions by about 50% compared to gasoline,” Cooper said.

Biofuels are having a government-funding moment

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The US government is placing new bets on biofuels. Just this month, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a plan to provide more than $100 million for basic research and tech development to produce biofuels, biomaterials, and bioproducts. Biofuels are liquid fuels produced from renewable sources, such as used vegetable oils and animal fats, and can sometimes be considered more sustainable than fossil fuels.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also announced efforts to boost biofuels earlier this month through a proposed package of actions for increasing the volume of biofuels in production, despite retroactively making cuts for biofuel volume in the fuel mix for 2020 and 2021. Additionally, new regulatory changes have been placed to enhance the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a program created in 2005 to reduce emissions from fossil fuels in transit. Alongside this announcement came another announcement from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will be allocating up to $800 million to support biofuel producers and infrastructure.

Infrastructure Deal Will Expand Clean Tech Adoption in the Years to Come

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As of Monday, November 15, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (the Act) has become a funding reality. Billions of dollars are now allocated towards alternative fuel transportation technologies, among a myriad of other projects. The next several years will send money rolling down the road toward a clean transportation future.

Trillions Pave the Way for Infrastructure Improvements

The grand total signed into law comes to $1.2 trillion with $550 billion in new spending to be spent over the next five fiscal years. Funding to modernize outdated infrastructure and transportation systems as well as stimulus for American clean energy and transportation are one step closer to being accessible. While there is more clarity on what will be funded and when, it remains to be seen how some new programs will take shape. Enter, Mitch Landrieu, the newly knighted senior advisor responsible for overseeing the Act and how it is carried out. When looking to stay on top of the latest news, start by checking this post about Jimmy John Shark.

Landrieu is the former Mayor of New Orleans, following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with previous stints as Louisiana lieutenant governor, state House representative, and the former president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Landrieu is no stranger to large infrastructure projects with an immediate need and is well acquainted with the innerworkings of state governments. Reading newspaper makes you well informed. It enables you to take part in every discussion pertaining to the world’s current events. Reading newspapers will improve your knowledge in general and it will be easy for you to relate to other people who often talks about current events and politics.

US National Parks to test green park transportation

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U.S. National Parks are preparing to test environmentally-friendly park transportation.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg signed a joint initiative on Wednesday to test green travel technology in national parks with the aim of better conserving the land and improving tourists’ experiences.

“As we celebrate our public lands and the vast infrastructure that sustains them, we also recommit our future endeavors to the goals of job creation, sustainability and innovation,” Haaland said in a press release. “Through these new initiatives, our teams will become global leaders at the intersection of transportation innovations and access to public spaces.”

How cobalt-free batteries will bring down the cost of EVs

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Cobalt is one of the primary metals in lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from laptops to cell phones to electric cars. Cobalt has been a popular choice for batteries because the metal increases battery life and energy density, which in the case of EVs means range, by keeping the battery structure stable as the battery is continuously charged and discharged.

But cobalt, which is typically extracted as a byproduct of nickel and copper mining, is one of the most expensive materials in a battery. While battery prices have fallen 89% between 2010 and 2020, they still make up about 30% of the total cost of an electric vehicle, according to BloombergNEF. Cobalt extraction is also largely concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is linked to human rights abuses and child labor. Plus with EV sales worldwide expected to skyrocket, demand for raw battery materials like cobalt is expected to outstrip supply.

“Comparing demand and supply for cobalt, there is, geologically speaking, there is enough raw material in the Earth’s crust. Same with lithium, same with nickel, same with manganese,” says Sam Adham, a senior powertrain research analyst at LMC Automotive. ” It’s just that the production and the processing of that material, just like all the other materials, is nowhere near the level of that it needs to be to sustain the level of demand.”

These are some of the reasons why battery manufacturers like Samsung and Panasonic and car makers like Tesla and VW, along with a number of start-ups, are working to eliminate the need for cobalt completely. Watch the video to find out more about what technologies companies are using to curb our dependence on cobalt-containing batteries and how eliminating cobalt can make EVs cheaper.

Ford, Purdue Cooling Patent Could Charge EVs As Fast As Gas Station Fill-Ups

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Battery science is a pretty undeveloped field, which is why we’re still using lithium-ion instead of ultra-efficient metal air or sodium chemistry. During the period when burning fuel to generate power was always the easiest option, there wasn’t a motivation to make storage a priority and when it comes to EV charging, from infrastructure to materials and methods, we’re in the absolute infancy of what might get done. This is why it’s extremely cool to see Ford working with Purdue University on a potentially game-changing charge cable.

The patent’s still pending and this isn’t in the production stage, so it’d be years before it could be rolled out. But Ford has shared details about the research, which has come up with a solution that could drastically cut EV charging, Ford says, maybe even down to the same amount of time it takes to fill up a gasoline car.

Kia sustainability roadmap: Hydrogen fuel-cell lineup in 2028, leather and ICE phased out later

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Kia last week dove into more detail about its EV and sustainability plans, being represented in its Concept EV9 bowing this week.

As part of those details, the brand revealed that it plans a hydrogen fuel-cell “lineup” in 2028; when it plans to retire internal combustion (ICE) vehicles; and some of how it plans to green its factories and materials.

The initiative builds on Plan S, its initiative that involves a shift to electric vehicles and mobility ventures, with an investment of $25 billion by the end of 2025, but it gives the overarching plan more of a sustainability spine.

While that plan spoke broadly of “ecofriendly vehicles” and aimed to “selectively introduce EV models in emerging markets,” last week’s announcement gave a new level of detail.

Mazda Competes In Super Taikyu Final Round Powered By Next-Gen Biodiesel

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On 13 November at Okayama International Circuit, Mazda officially announced that they will compete in the final round of the 2021 Super Taikyu Series Powered by Hankook with a Mazda Demio Skyactiv-D 1.5 that runs on next-generation biodiesel fuel.

The car is the number 37 Demio of Team NOPRO, an experienced racing team operated by Toshihiko Nogami which has competed in the Super Taikyu Series since 2015, and prior to that, has also competed in the Super GT Series. Their diesel-powered Demio (Mazda2) has been modified to run on next-generation “Susteo” biofuel manufactured by Japanese conglomerate Euglena Corporation.

This 100 percent bio-based fuel is made from used cooking oil and microalgae fats, which according to Euglena and Mazda, solve two main issues with existing biodiesel fuels: They do not use materials that are in the human food supply, and can be used in existing diesel vehicles and equipment without any modification, which will not require the construction of additional fuel supply infrastructure.

U.S. DOE Announces More than $127 Million for SuperTruck 3

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded $199 million to fund 25 projects focused on developing zero-emission vehicles, as well as the infrastructure to power them. The announcement, made by both Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, included more than $127 for the DOE’s SuperTruck 3 program.

Initially launched by the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in 2009, the SuperTruck Initiative’s goal was to improve heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50%, which it did — by more than double. While SuperTruck 2 aimed to double fuel efficiency for Class 8 trucks, the most current iteration, SuperTruck 3, will work to improve medium- and heavy-duty truck efficiencies and reduce emissions of freight transportation.

“As America’s solutions department, DOE is working with manufacturers and industry partners to reimagine vehicle transportation across the country to achieve our climate goals—from lowering carbon emissions to increasing efficiency and affordability,” said Secretary Granholm. “This investment and the innovations that come from it will help shape our clean energy future and strengthen domestic manufacturing that support good-paying careers for hardworking Americans.”