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EPA issues first National Standards for mercury and air toxics pollution from power plants

Green Car Congress

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), the first national standards for power plant emissions of mercury and toxic air pollutants (also known as hazardous air pollutants, HAPs) such as arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium, and cyanide.

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Generating Power on Earth From the Coldness of Deep Space

Cars That Think

On the rooftop of a quiet building, a set of panels cools the rooms within and keeps the lights on, removing heat and generating electricity using the coldness of the sky. As the technology improves, we see it enabling solar panels that work at night as well as day, powering remote sensors. Sound crazy?

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EPA proposes CO2 emission standards for new fossil fuel-fired power plants

Green Car Congress

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed Clean Air Act standards to reduce CO 2 emissions from fossil-fuel fired power plants (electric utility generating units, EGUs). The proposed rulemaking establishes separate standards for natural gas and coal plants.

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Texas utility signs first US Power Purchase Agreement for low-emissions electricity from commercial-scale coal-fired power plant with carbon capture

Green Car Congress

CPS Energy of San Antonio has signed a Power Purchase Agreement for approximately 200 MW of power from the Texas Clean Energy Project (TCEP), located just west of Midland-Odessa. The agreement marks the first US purchase by a utility of low-carbon power from a commercial-scale, coal-based power plant utilizing carbon capture.

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EPA proposes rule for nationwide 30% cut in GHG from existing power plants by 2030 relative to 2005

Green Car Congress

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the already widely-discussed (albeit without much detail) “Clean Power Plan” proposal, which mandates a national average 30% cut in greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants from 2005 levels by 2030. Expanded lower-carbon generation.

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Duke study finds China’s synthetic natural gas plants will have heavy environmental toll; 2x vehicle GHG if used for fuel

Green Car Congress

Coal-powered synthetic natural gas (SNG) plants being planned in China would produce seven times more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional natural gas plants, and use up to 100 times the water as shale gas production, according to a new study by Duke University researchers published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

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EIA: US energy-related CO2 emissions in 2012 lowest since 1994; reflects drop in coal use

Green Car Congress

The largest drop in emissions in 2012 came from coal, which is used almost exclusively for electricity generation. During 2012, particularly in the spring and early summer, low natural gas prices led to competition between natural gas- and coal-fired electric power generators.

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