Carbon, Climate and Coal

Study findings suggest that switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

The study will appear next month in the peer-reviewed journal Climatic Change Letters. The study will appear next month in the peer-reviewed journal Climatic Change Letters. Relying more on natural gas would reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, but it would do little to help solve the climate problem. —Tom Wigley.

Coal

Coal Climate Gas Global

Study Concludes Peak Coal Will Occur Close to 2011

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 2, 2010

A multi-Hubbert analysis of coal production by Tadeusz Patzek at The University of Texas at Austin and Gregory Croft at the University of California, Berkeley concludes that the global peak of coal production from existing coalfields will occur close to the year 2011. The CO 2 emissions from burning this coal will also decline by 50%.

Coal

Coal 2011 Global Emissions

Study finds methane emissions from coal mines ~50% higher than previously thought

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

The amount of methane released into the atmosphere as a result of coal mining is likely approximately 50% higher than previously estimated, according to research presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. The authors point out that less coal production doesn’t translate to less methane.

Coal

Coal Emissions Escape Ukraine

Rhodium Group estimates US GHG fell 2.1% in 2019, driven by coal decline

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 8, 2020

This decline was due almost entirely to a drop in coal consumption. Coal-fired power generation fell by a record 18% year-on-year to its lowest level since 1975. An increase in natural gas generation offset some of the climate gains from this coal decline, but overall power sector emissions still decreased by almost 10%.

Coal

Coal 2019 2018 Gas-Electric

Black carbon is a much larger cause of climate change than previously assessed; about twice previous estimates, and 2/3 the effect of CO2

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 16, 2013

Schematic overview of the primary black-carbon emission sources and the processes that control. the distribution of black carbon in the atmosphere and determine its role in the climate system. Accounting for all of the ways black carbon can affect climate, it is believed to have a warming effect of about 1.1

Climate Change

Climate Change Climate Carbon CO2

IEA: global carbon dioxide emissions have rebounded strongly

Green Car Congress

MARCH 3, 2021

The Covid-19 crisis in 2020 triggered the largest annual drop in global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions since the Second World War, according to IEA data, but the overall decline of about 6% masks wide variations depending on the region and the time of year. But our numbers show we are returning to carbon-intensive business-as-usual.

Emissions

Emissions Global Carbon 2020

Novel adaptation for existing blast furnaces could reduce steelmaking emissions by 88%; closed-loop carbon recycling

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 26, 2023

This reduction is achieved through a closed-loop carbon recycling system, which could replace 90% of the coke typically used in current blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace systems and produces oxygen as a byproduct. A double perovskite, Ba 2 Ca 0.66 This reacts with the iron ore in the furnace to produce CO 2.

Carbon

Carbon Emissions Cleaner Gas-Electric

Stanford study finds current carbon capture technology inefficient & increases air pollution

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 27, 2019

Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, suggests that carbon capture technologies are inefficient and increase air pollution. All sorts of scenarios have been developed under the assumption that carbon capture actually reduces substantial amounts of carbon.

Pollution

Pollution Carbon Coal Wind

MIT report finds China’s actions on climate change crucial; argues for global economy-wide greenhouse gas tax

Green Car Congress

MAY 29, 2012

The report—titled “The Role of China in Mitigating Climate Change” and published in the journal Energy Economics , compares the impact of a stringent emissions reduction policy with and without China’s participation. The researchers tested various levels of emission reduction plans—a global carbon tax of $10, $30 or $50.

Climate Change

Climate Change MIT Climate Tax

Report: Plastics industry will release more GHGs than coal plants in the US by 2030

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 24, 2021

Plastics are on track to contribute more greenhouse gas emissions than coal plants in the US by 2030, according to new report by Beyond Plastics, a nationwide project based at Bennington College in Vermont. This report represents the floor, not the ceiling, of the US plastics industry’s climate impact. million tons of GHG each year.

Coal

Coal Industrial Industry Climate Change

Study finds total greenhouse gas footprint of blue hydrogen “quite high” due to fugitive methane

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 13, 2021

“Blue” hydrogen—produced through steam methane reforming (SMR) of natural gas or coal gasification, but with CO 2 capture and storage—is being described as having low or zero carbon emissions. Our analysis assumes that captured carbon dioxide can be stored indefinitely, an optimistic and unproven assumption.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen Gas Coal Exhaust

Black carbon linked to increased cardiovascular risk; exacerbated by co-exposure to motor vehicle emissions

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 26, 2014

Black carbon (BC) from incomplete biomass and fossil fuel combustion is the most strongly light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM) air pollution and a major climate-forcing emission. Air pollution mitigation efforts focusing on reducing combustion pollution are likely to have major benefits for climate and human health.

Carbon

Carbon Emissions Motor Motoring

Study suggests current levels of methane leakage would result in numerous decades of more rapid climate change from a shift to natural gas vehicles

Green Car Congress

APRIL 10, 2012

A) CNG light-duty cars vs. gasoline cars; (B) CNG heavy-duty vehicles vs. diesel vehicles; and (C) combined-cycle natural gas plants vs. supercritical coal plants using low-CH 4 coal. Recent reports in the scientific literature and popular press have produced confusion about the climate implications of natural gas.

Climate Change

Climate Change Climate Gas Coal

Report finds says “negative emissions technologies” need to play a large role in mitigating climate change

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 29, 2018

To achieve goals for climate and economic growth, “negative emissions technologies” (NETs) that remove and sequester carbon dioxide from the air will need to play a significant role in mitigating climate change, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Climate Change

Climate Change Climate Emissions Carbon

Volvo Cars first carmaker to explore fossil-free steel with SSAB and HYBRIT

Green Car Congress

JUNE 17, 2021

It aims to replace coking coal, traditionally needed for iron ore-based steelmaking, with fossil-free electricity and hydrogen. The result is expected to be fossil-free steelmaking technology, with virtually no carbon footprint. By 2040, Volvo Cars’ ambition is to be a climate-neutral company.

Volvo

Volvo Cars Coal Hydrogen

New inventory of black carbon emissions from China finds 2007 levels higher than previously reported

Green Car Congress

JULY 8, 2012

A new black carbon (BC) emissions inventory from China found BC emissions levels in 2007 of 1,957 Gg BC—higher than reported in earlier studies. Black carbon is released into the atmosphere via incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuel and is of major concern because of the impact on climate systems. Click to enlarge.

2007

2007 Carbon Emissions China

EPA GHG Inventory shows US GHG down 1.7% y-o-y in 2019, down 13% from 2005

Green Car Congress

APRIL 17, 2021

Key findings from the 1990-2019 US Inventory include: In 2019, US greenhouse gas emissions totaled 6,558 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, or 5,769 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents after accounting for sequestration from the land sector. CO 2 emissions decreased 2.2% from 2018 to 2019.

2005

2005 2019 EPA Climate Change

Study finds climate impact of hydropower varies widely

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2019

earlier post ), a new study by a team at Environmental Defense Fund finds that the climate impact of hydropower facilities varies widely throughout the world and over time, with some facilities emitting more greenhouse gases than those burning fossil fuels. They also estimated emissions caused by flooding the reservoir.

Climate

Climate Climate Change Coal Gas-Electric

ArcelorMittal inaugurates €200M Steelanol carbon capture and utilization project at Ghent plant

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 9, 2022

At an event held at its steel plant in Ghent, Belgium, ArcelorMittal inaugurated its flagship carbon capture and utilization (CCU) project. It will reduce annual carbon emissions from the Ghent plant by 125,000 tonnes. This project will reduce annual carbon emissions in Ghent by 112,500 tonnes. Earlier post.)

Carbon

Carbon Belgium Waste Coal

Canada Nickel launches subsidiary to develop zero-carbon production of nickel, cobalt and iron

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 17, 2020

has created a wholly-owned subsidiary, NetZero Metals, to begin the research and development of a processing facility that would be located in the Timmins, Ontario region with the goal of utilizing existing technologies to produce zero-carbon nickel, cobalt and iron products. Canada Nickel Company Inc.

Canada

Canada Carbon Production Indonesia

Obama climate plan calls for new fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles post-2018; cleaner fuels and investment in advanced fossil energy

Green Car Congress

JUNE 25, 2013

Among the transportation-related elements of US President Barack Obama’s new climate action plan, which he is outlining today in a speech at Georgetown University, is the development of new fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles post-2018. Preparing the US for the impacts of climate change. Earlier post.).

Obama

Obama Cleaner Fuel Economy Climate

Udokan Copper to cut carbon intensity of copper production up to 75% by 2035

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 4, 2022

Russia-based Udokan Copper , the developer of Russia’s largest new copper deposit, outlined scenarios to cut the carbon intensity of copper production up to 75% by 2035, bringing the company closer to its ultimate goal of climate neutrality in the long run.

Carbon

Carbon Production Russia 2000

Wärtsilä report finds accelerated adoption of renewables can reduce electricity production costs by up to 50%

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 11, 2021

The technology group Wärtsilä has issued a report ahead of COP26, the UN’s Climate Change Conference to be held in Glasgow this autumn, describing the environmental and economic opportunities for states that decarbonize rapidly. coal and gas), significantly reducing the overall levelised cost of electricity.

Renewable

Renewable Energy Storage Coal Production

BP: world on unsustainable path; growing divergence between demands for climate change action and pace of progress

Green Car Congress

JUNE 12, 2019

This year’s edition highlights the growing divergence between demands for action on climate change and the actual pace of progress on reducing carbon emissions. The longer carbon emissions continue to rise, the harder and more costly will be the necessary eventual adjustment to net-zero carbon emissions.

Climate Change

Climate Change Climate Coal Carbon

Harvard team finds large-scale US wind power would cause warming that would take roughly a century to offset

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 5, 2018

All large-scale energy systems have environmental impacts, and the ability to compare the impacts of renewable energy sources is an important step in planning a future without coal or gas power. In the journal Joule , Harvard researchers report the most accurate modelling yet of how increasing wind power would affect climate.

Wind

Wind Power Powered Coal

EEA report: EVs are better for climate and air quality

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

The EEA report ‘ Electric vehicles from life cycle and circular economy perspectives ’ reviews current evidence on electric cars’ impacts on climate change, air quality, noise and ecosystems, compared with conventional cars. The EEA has also published a new briefing on the environmental and climate impacts of transport.

Climate

Climate Pollution Gasoline-Electric 2017

NASA-led study suggests coal soot shrank Alpine glaciers in mid-1800s

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2013

A NASA-led team of scientists has uncovered strong evidence that coal soot from a rapidly industrializing Europe caused the abrupt retreat of mountain glaciers in the European Alps that began in the 1860s, a period often thought of as the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA). Black carbon is the strongest sunlight-absorbing atmospheric particle.

Coal

Coal Carbon Climate Europe

IEA: carbon intensity of global energy supply has barely changed in last 20 years; “window of opportunity in transport”

Green Car Congress

APRIL 18, 2013

In a fairly bleak assessment of global progress towards low-carbon energy, the International Energy Agency (IEA) concluded that, despite a few bright spots such as the rapid expansion of renewable technologies and the growth of hybrid and EV sales, the progress is far below that required to achieve a 2 °C pathway—i.e., Source: IEA.

Carbon

Carbon Supplies Global Transportation

India’s Coal & Gas Decline Signals Accelerating Renewable Energy Transition

CleanTechnica EVs

JUNE 6, 2025

India’s energy landscape is at a pivotal crossroads, exemplified by the notable recent decline in coal- and gas-fired power generation, which in May 2025 marked the steepest year-over-year drop since COVID-19.

Coal

Coal Renewable Gas Energy

NYK Line, JMU and ClassNK partner to commercialize ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 14, 2020

Since carbon dioxide is not emitted when ammonia (NH 3 ) is burned, it is viewed to have promise as a next-generation fuel that could mitigate shipping’s impact on global warming. In particular, a significant reduction in CO 2 emissions is expected to be achieved by replacing coal and natural gas as the main fuels for power generation.

Gas

Gas Commercial Fuel Mariner

US and China jointly announce GHG reduction targets; US to cut net GHG 26-28% by 2025, China to peak CO2 by ~2030

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2014

The Administration said that the ambitious target is grounded in analysis of cost-effective carbon pollution reductions achievable under existing law and will keep the United States on a trajectory to achieve deep economy-wide reductions on the order of 80% by 2050.

China

China CO2 Climate Change United States

DOE’s Carbon Utilization and Storage Atlas estimates at least 2,400B metric tons of US CO2 storage resource

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 25, 2012

The United States has at least 2,400 billion metric tons of possible carbon dioxide storage resource in saline formations, oil and gas reservoirs, and unmineable coal seams, according to a new US Department of Energy (DOE) publication.

Carbon

Carbon CO2 United States Climate Change

DOE and Air Force issue RFI on Mil-Spec jet fuel production using coal-to-liquid technologies

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

The US Department of Energy (DOE) in partnership with the US Air Force has issued a request for information (RFI)— DE-FOA-0000981 —on research & development aimed at greenhouse gas emissions reductions and cost competitiveness of Mil-Spec jet fuel production using coal-to-liquid (CTL) fuel technologies. Information Request.

Coal

Coal Fuel Production 2007

Greenius Says, Time’s Up Folks. Your Global Warming Goose Has Now Been Cooked…

Creative Greenius

MAY 23, 2010

The smartest scientists on the face of the planet, the ones studying climate change and global warming, are mad as hell and they’re not going to take it any more. Natural causes always play a role in changing Earth’s climate, but are now being overwhelmed by human-induced changes.

Climate Change

Climate Change Global Climate Coal

EIA reports a 3.9% increase in US energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2010

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 18, 2011

US carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels were 5,638 million metric tons carbon dioxide (MMTCO 2 ) in 2010, an increase of 3.9% from the 2009 level, according to Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2010 , an online analysis released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Click to enlarge.

2010

2010 Carbon Emissions Energy

A Few Words on Eco Terrorists, Cowards and Courage

Creative Greenius

FEBRUARY 12, 2014

The people whose business model is to wreck the ecology and the climate and profit from it. Even when we reach the limit of our carbon budget, when burning any more oil, coal or gas will push global temperatures beyond 2 degrees celsius, the E&B business model is to harvest more oil so that it can be burned as fuel.

Climate Change

Climate Change Climate Oil Carbon

ICCT LCA study finds only battery and hydrogen fuel-cell EVs have potential to be very low-GHG passenger vehicle pathways

Green Car Congress

JULY 21, 2021

In addition to its regional and temporal scope, this study is distinct from earlier LCA literature in four key aspects: This study considers the lifetime average carbon intensity of the fuel and electricity mixes, including biofuels and biogas. The results reflect the full life-cycle GHG emissions of battery and fuel-cell EVs.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen Fuel Battery Batteries

PCAST suggests 6 key components for climate change strategy to President Obama; adaptation and mitigation

Green Car Congress

MARCH 23, 2013

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a letter to President Obama describing six key components the advisory group believes should be central to the Administration’s strategy for addressing climate change. Both approaches are essential parts of an integrated strategy for dealing with climate change.

Climate Change

Climate Change Climate Obama Clean

Study concludes abundant shale gas is neither climate hero nor villain; need for targeted GHG reduction policy

Green Car Congress

MAY 15, 2014

In this paper, we focus on the implications of growing shale gas production for the climate. If natural gas is abundant and less expensive, it will encourage greater natural gas consumption and less consumption of fuels such as coal, renewables and nuclear power. —Newell and Raimi.

Climate

Climate Gas Coal Gas-Electric

Study finds that suburban sprawl cancels carbon-footprint savings of dense urban cores in US

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 7, 2014

Although population-dense cities contribute less greenhouse-gas emissions per person than other areas of the country, these cities’ extensive suburbs essentially wipe out the climate benefits, according to a new study by Christopher Jones and Daniel Kammen at UC Berkeley. —Jones and Kammen.

Carbon

Carbon Emissions New York Los Angeles

IEA: global CO2 emissions rebounded to their highest level in history in 2021; largely driven by China

Green Car Congress

MARCH 9, 2022

Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose by 6% in 2021 to 36.3 billion tonnes, their highest ever level, as the world economy rebounded strongly from the COVID-19 crisis and relied heavily on coal to power that growth, according to new IEA analysis. billion tonnes. billion tonnes.

Emissions

Emissions Global Coal China

DOE awarding $72M to 27 projects to develop and advance carbon capture technologies, including direct air capture

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced the award of approximately $72 million in federal funding to support the development and advancement of carbon capture technologies under two funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). Enabling Production of Low Carbon Emissions Steel Through CO 2 Capture from Blast Furnace Gases.

Carbon

Carbon Coal Gas-Electric Gas

PNNL modeling study finds climate benefit for cutting soot, methane smaller than previous estimates

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 13, 2013

Cutting the amount of short-lived, climate-warming emissions such as soot and methane won’t limit global warming as much as previous studies have suggested, according to a new study from the Joint Global Change Research Institute in College Park, Md., More realistic emission reductions would likely provide an even smaller climate benefit.

Climate

Climate Pollution Carbon Emissions

HYBRIT produces hydrogen-reduced sponge iron on pilot scale

Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2021

The test production was carried out in HYBRIT’s pilot plant in Luleå and shows that it is possible to reduce iron ore with fossil-free hydrogen, instead of removing the oxygen with coal and coke. In a traditional process, this is done using carbon or coke, while in the HYBRIT process the reduction is done using fossil-free hydrogen.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen Finland Sweden Emissions

Study findings suggest that switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate

Study Concludes Peak Coal Will Occur Close to 2011

Trending Sources

Study finds methane emissions from coal mines ~50% higher than previously thought

Rhodium Group estimates US GHG fell 2.1% in 2019, driven by coal decline

Black carbon is a much larger cause of climate change than previously assessed; about twice previous estimates, and 2/3 the effect of CO2

IEA: global carbon dioxide emissions have rebounded strongly

Novel adaptation for existing blast furnaces could reduce steelmaking emissions by 88%; closed-loop carbon recycling

Stanford study finds current carbon capture technology inefficient & increases air pollution

MIT report finds China’s actions on climate change crucial; argues for global economy-wide greenhouse gas tax

Report: Plastics industry will release more GHGs than coal plants in the US by 2030

Study finds total greenhouse gas footprint of blue hydrogen “quite high” due to fugitive methane

Black carbon linked to increased cardiovascular risk; exacerbated by co-exposure to motor vehicle emissions

Study suggests current levels of methane leakage would result in numerous decades of more rapid climate change from a shift to natural gas vehicles

Report finds says “negative emissions technologies” need to play a large role in mitigating climate change

Volvo Cars first carmaker to explore fossil-free steel with SSAB and HYBRIT

New inventory of black carbon emissions from China finds 2007 levels higher than previously reported

EPA GHG Inventory shows US GHG down 1.7% y-o-y in 2019, down 13% from 2005

Study finds climate impact of hydropower varies widely

ArcelorMittal inaugurates €200M Steelanol carbon capture and utilization project at Ghent plant

Canada Nickel launches subsidiary to develop zero-carbon production of nickel, cobalt and iron

Obama climate plan calls for new fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles post-2018; cleaner fuels and investment in advanced fossil energy

Udokan Copper to cut carbon intensity of copper production up to 75% by 2035

Wärtsilä report finds accelerated adoption of renewables can reduce electricity production costs by up to 50%

BP: world on unsustainable path; growing divergence between demands for climate change action and pace of progress

Harvard team finds large-scale US wind power would cause warming that would take roughly a century to offset

EEA report: EVs are better for climate and air quality

NASA-led study suggests coal soot shrank Alpine glaciers in mid-1800s

IEA: carbon intensity of global energy supply has barely changed in last 20 years; “window of opportunity in transport”

India’s Coal & Gas Decline Signals Accelerating Renewable Energy Transition

NYK Line, JMU and ClassNK partner to commercialize ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier

US and China jointly announce GHG reduction targets; US to cut net GHG 26-28% by 2025, China to peak CO2 by ~2030

DOE’s Carbon Utilization and Storage Atlas estimates at least 2,400B metric tons of US CO2 storage resource

DOE and Air Force issue RFI on Mil-Spec jet fuel production using coal-to-liquid technologies

Greenius Says, Time’s Up Folks. Your Global Warming Goose Has Now Been Cooked…

EIA reports a 3.9% increase in US energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2010

A Few Words on Eco Terrorists, Cowards and Courage

ICCT LCA study finds only battery and hydrogen fuel-cell EVs have potential to be very low-GHG passenger vehicle pathways

PCAST suggests 6 key components for climate change strategy to President Obama; adaptation and mitigation

Study concludes abundant shale gas is neither climate hero nor villain; need for targeted GHG reduction policy

Study finds that suburban sprawl cancels carbon-footprint savings of dense urban cores in US

IEA: global CO2 emissions rebounded to their highest level in history in 2021; largely driven by China

DOE awarding $72M to 27 projects to develop and advance carbon capture technologies, including direct air capture

PNNL modeling study finds climate benefit for cutting soot, methane smaller than previous estimates

HYBRIT produces hydrogen-reduced sponge iron on pilot scale

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